Shin Min-seok, the ‘pretty boy prospect’ who led the world quarterfinals 7 years ago, is beginning to shine after a long period of stagnation.
Shin Min-seok, the main character who won Asia in 2015 and led Korea U17 to the first quarterfinal a year later. Along with Yang Jae-min and Lee Jung-hyun, he was the main character of the ‘Golden Generation’.
Shin Min-seok was evaluated for his excellent physical condition, which is close to 200 cm, and his sharp shooting sense. He got a lot of attention from his young age with his good looks. During Gunsan High School with Lee Jung-hyun, he competed with Lee Hyun-joong and Ha Yoon-gi’s Samil Commercial High School for the best in the country. After walking along such a solid road, he went through a period of stagnation after entering Korea University.
Expectations and disappointments, Shin Min-seok was among them. Behind the title of a tall shooter, there was criticism that he was passive in rebounding and forgot about hustle play. The evaluation of the defense was also full of question marks. Although he had a place at Korea University, the strongest university, he did not shine as brilliantly as he did in high school.
In the 2021 KBL rookie draft, Shin Min-seok was nominated as the 4th overall pick after Lee Won-seok, Ha Yoon-gi, and Lee Jung-hyun. It was a lottery pick nomination, but the evaluation was mixed. The degree of interest also fell compared to the Big 3, which is an immediate sense of power. In addition, survival in Ulsan Hyundai Mobis, where the roster is solid, did not seem easy.
Lee Won-seok, Ha Yoon-ki, and Lee Jung-hyun shone since their rookie days. They also suffered injuries and sluggishness, but nevertheless, from an early age, they became the main axis of the team. Shin Min-seok, like other rookies, finished the first season only with ‘experience’.
Such Shin Min-seok began to shine more and more from his second season. Since February, he has secured an average playing time of 20 minutes and showed an active appearance in all aspects of offense and defense. His long-term 3-point shot has gradually improved accuracy, and defense and rebound, which were considered weak points, are now difficult to see as ‘weaknesses’. 메이저놀이터
In the match against Seoul Samsung on the 21st, Shin Min-seok’s presence was properly revealed. Hyundai Mobis put Shin Min-seok right away when Samsung threatened the paint zone with a tall forward. First, Shin Min-seok, who warmed up with defense, shook Samsung’s defense with an appropriate position and accurate 3-pointer. Here, as he actively participated in rebounding, he recorded 13 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists, showing his best performance.
At the point ahead of the playoffs, Hyundai Mobis has been able to relieve some of the worries about Shin Min-seok’s growth and performance, Lee Woo-seok’s injury gap, and Kim Guk-chan’s sluggish forward gap. Now, Shin Min-seok has become a player who can maintain his pace even if he plays for more than 25 minutes. It seems that he has finally overcome his long period of stagnation.
In addition, he has the advantage of being able to digest not only 3 times but also 4 times. Shin Min-seok’s original position was number 4. It is also a huge plus that Jang Jae-seok and Ham Ji-hoon are separated due to injuries, and that they can create synergy by going back and forth with Choi Jin-soo in the 3rd and 4th times.
He is now in his second season of professional debut. He became a player who could play an active role in the regular league faster than expected despite the underestimation that he had to refine for a long time. If he really overcame the stagnation period, his growth rate would be tremendous. It is Shin Min-seok who is recovering himself from the days when he stood shoulder to shoulder with Yang Jae-min and Lee Jung-hyun.