Two brother athletes who grew up under a star father. Even the schools they graduated from are all the same: Samgwang Elementary School, Yongsan Middle School, Yongsan High School, and Yonsei University. However, the closer you look, the more differences there are. Heo Jae (59)’s eldest son, Heo Woong (31, Busan KCC), did not stand out during his amateur days. He played as a backup at Yongsan High School, but became a starter in his second year, and it was not until his senior year that his skills improved. Even when he was at Yonsei University, he was only a main player on the team in his third year, and was not an ‘ace’ until then. The same goes for pros. When he debuted, he was an average player, averaging only 4.8 points in the 2014-2015 season. He only wore an identification tag that read ‘Heo Jae’s son’.
Then, in the 2015-2016 season, which was his second year as a professional, Heo Woong showed good performance from the beginning and exploded with 30 points in the 7th game, against Incheon Electronic Land (now Daegu Korea Gas Corporation). He earned the Most Improved Player Award after averaging 12.1 points and 2.9 assists that season. Starting in the 2021-2022 season, when he scored an average of 16.7 points, he was selected as one of the league’s best 5, taking a step forward as a leading scorer. Until this season, Heo Woong is the only player in the league who has scored an average of 15 points for three consecutive seasons. He is a typical ‘waiting chronic’ type player.
Unlike his older brother, younger brother Heo Hoon (29, Suwon KT) has been a complete star since his amateur days. During his second and third year at Yongsan High School, he received the Association Basketball Tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) for two consecutive years. He also played as a key player on the team for all four years at Yonsei University, receiving MVP honors in the college basketball league his senior year. His professional performance was also solid. He was selected as one of the best 5 players while receiving the regular league MVP award in the 2019-2020 season, which was his third year, and was selected as one of the best 5 regular season players for two consecutive seasons the following season.
Their personalities are also opposite. Heo Woong is evaluated as having a calm yet fiery passion. He is usually a quiet and friendly person, but when he enters the court, he yells and threatens his teammates. Teammate Choi Jun-yong, also known as the ‘bad boy’, is said to follow Heo Woong’s instructions without a word. Even in the matchmaking zone, the shot is always the responsibility of the matchmaker Heo Woong.
Heo Hoon points out that coolness is hidden beneath heat. Although he is cheerful and jokes well, he is a believer who speaks with determination in official settings. When he catches the ball, he turns into a cool-headed field commander who watches every corner of the court. He is good at finding empty space, averaging 7.5 assists per game (2020-2021).
There is one thing in common. He has never won a championship in the pro league. Heo Woong participated in the championship game in the 2014-2015 season, when he was a rookie, and played from the bench, but only finished in second place. This is Heo Hoon’s first time competing in the championship match.
The battle between the two brothers ends on the 27th. The first round of the best-of-seven championship match will be held on this day. Heo Woong came up with Busan KCC, which was ranked 5th in the regular league, by causing an upset by defeating 1st place Wonju DB with 3 wins and 1 loss in the semifinals of the playoffs. Heo Hoon’s Suwon KT (3rd in the league) also defeated 2nd place Changwon LG with 3 wins and 2 losses in the semifinals. It has been 10 years since brothers Tae-jong Moon (LG) and Tae-young Moon (Hyundai Mobis) faced each other in the KBL championship match in 2013-2014 season.
At Media Day on the 25th, the two bickered. KCC coach Jeon Chang-jin, who is close to the Heo brothers, laughed and said, “I took the two of them to a restaurant last summer, and Heo Woong ate cheap bulgogi and Heo Hoon ate expensive sirloin.” Heo Woong also agreed, saying, “I ate bulgogi, which was three times cheaper than sirloin, out of consideration for the director, but Hoon ordered and ate sirloin for 5 people.” In response, Heo Hoon said, “My brother wanted to finish the meal with director Jeon Chang-jin quickly, so he ordered bulgogi, which he can eat quickly,” and added, “It’s already war.”
Heo Woong said, “It’s nice to see the attention being drawn to the brothers’ match, but I want to end the match with a 4-game sweep.” Heo Hoon said, “I have a different desire to win than anyone else. “I don’t want to lose even once,” he responded, adding, “Even if I face him one-on-one, I will just think of him as an opposing player.”
