KBL Rookie of the Year Award

The Korean Basketball League Rookie of the Year Award (Korean: 신인선수상) is an annual Korean Basketball League (KBL) award given since 1998 to the best performing rookie player. Both foreign and domestic players who meet the criteria are eligible to be nominated for the award.

## Eligibility

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Domestic players must be in their first two seasons and have played at least 50% of the 54 league games. Foreign players with experience in overseas leagues may be considered for nomination but must have less than a year of playing experience in a professional team.[1]

## History

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From the 1997–98 season to the 2011–12 seasons, the KBL rookie draft took place in January or February, towards the end of the season. Rookies only began their first season with a professional team in October of the same calendar year, when the KBL season began. The draft was eventually moved closer to the beginning of the professional season.

In terms of award eligibility, the term "rookie" (Korean: 신인) previously only applied to players in their first year as a professional. With the rise of foreign import players and increasing competition among domestic players for spots on the first team, concerns arose over the fact that few first-year players clocked up enough playing time to qualify for the award and players who were only able to break into the first team during their second or third year as a professional. Prior to the 2020–21 season, the KBL announced that eligibility for the award would be extended to players in their first two years and foreign players.[1][2]

## Winners

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^  | Denotes player who is still active in the KBL

|

†  | Denotes player whose team won the KBL Championship that year
Player
(in italic text) | Denotes player who has also won the KBL Most Valuable Player Award
Team (X)  | Denotes the number of times a player from this team had won at that time
Season  | Player  | Position  | Team

|
|
|

1997–98[nb 1] | Joo Hee-jung | Guard  | Wonju Naray Blue Bird
1998–99 | Shin Ki-sung | Guard  | Wonju Naray Blue Bird (2)
1999–00 | Kim Sung-chul  | Forward  | Anyang SBS Stars
2000–01†  | Lee Kyu-sup | Forward  | Suwon Samsung Thunders
2001–02†  | Kim Seung-hyun | Guard  | Daegu Tongyang Orions
2002–03†  | Kim Joo-sung | Forward  | Wonju TG Xers (3)
2003–04 | Lee Hyun-ho  | Forward  | Seoul Samsung Thunders (2)
2004–05 | Yang Dong-geun | Guard  | Ulsan Mobis Phoebus
2005–06 | Bang Seung-yoon  | Forward  | Seoul SK Knights
2006–07 | Lee Hyun-min  | Guard  | Changwon LG Sakers
2007–08 | Kim Tae-sul | Guard  | Seoul SK Knights (2)
2008–09†  | Ha Seung-jin | Center  | Jeonju KCC Egis
2009–10 | Park Sung-jin  | Guard  | Incheon Electroland Elephants
2010–11 | Park Chan-hee^  | Guard  | Anyang KGC (2)
2011–12†  | Oh Se-keun^  | Center  | Anyang KGC (3)
2012–13 | Choi Boo-kyung^  | Forward  | Seoul SK Knights (3)
2013–14 | Kim Jong-kyu^  | Center  | Changwon LG Sakers (2)
2014–15 | Lee Seoung-hyun^  | Forward  | Goyang Orions (2)
2015–16 | Jung Seong-woo^  | Guard  | Changwon LG Sakers (3)
2016–17 | Kang Sang-jae^  | Forward  | Incheon Electroland Elephants (2)
2017–18†  | Ahn Young-joon^  | Forward  | Seoul SK Knights (4)
2018–19 | Byeon Jun-hyung^  | Guard  | Anyang KGC (4)
2019–20[nb 2] | Kim Hoon^  | Forward  | Wonju DB Promy (4)
2020–21 | Oh Jae-hyun^  | Guard  | Seoul SK Knights (5)
2021-22  | Lee Woo-suk^  | Guard  | Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus (2)
2022-23  | RJ Abarrientos^[4] | Guard  | Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus (3)
2024–25 | JD Cagulangan | Guard  | Suwon KT Sonicboom

## Teams

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Awards  | Teams  | Years

|
|

5  | Cheongju / Seoul SK Knights | 2006, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2021
4  | Wonju DB Promy[nb 3] | 1998, 1999, 2003, 2000
Anyang KT&G / KGC[nb 4] | 2000, 2011, 2012, 2019
3  | Changwon LG Sakers | 2007, 2014, 2016
Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus[nb 5] | 2005, 2022, 2023
2  | Suwon / Seoul Samsung Thunders | 2001, 2004
Goyang Carrot Jumpers[nb 6] | 2002, 2015
Daegu KOGAS Pegasus[nb 7] | 2010, 2017

Of the ten KBL teams, Suwon KT Sonicboom and its predecessors is the only team who has not produced a Rookie of the Year Award winner.

## Notes

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1. ^ Prior to the founding of the professional Korean Basketball League, the predecessor National Basketball Festival (농구대잔치) ended its final season in January 1997. The first season of the KBL began play in February 1997 to facilitate the transition and all registered players had already been on the roster from the amateur era. The 1997–98 season was the first full season played with rookie players drafted from college teams.
2. ^ The league was canceled in the middle of the fifth round of the regular season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The playoffs were also canceled as a result.[3]
3. ^ Formerly Wonju TG Sambo Xers and Wonju Dongbu Promy
4. ^ Formerly Anyang SBS Stars
5. ^ Formerly Busan Kia Enterprise and Ulsan Mobis Phoebus
6. ^ Formerly Daegu Tongyang Orions, Daegu Orions and Goyang Orion Orions
7. ^ Formerly Incheon Electroland Elephants

## References

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1. ^ a b "프로농구 신인상 자격 기준, 2년차 선수까지 확대". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). September 28, 2020.
2. ^ "[D리그] '프로 2년 차' SK 김형빈 "신인왕 경쟁은..."". Rookie (in Korean). December 16, 2020.
3. ^ "프로농구, 출범 23년 만에 첫 시즌 조기 종료…SK·DB 공동 1위(종합)". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). March 24, 2020.
4. ^ Lance Agcaoili (March 30, 2023). "RJ Abarrientos wins Korean Basketball League Rookie of Year honors". Inquirer.net. Retrieved March 30, 2023.

## External links

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* Records: Past records / 주요기록: 역대수상현황 on the Korean Basketball League official website (in Korean)

* v
* t
* e

KBL Rookie of the Year Award

* 1997: none
* 1998: Joo Hee-jung
* 1999: Shin Ki-sung
* 2000: Kim Sung-chul
* 2001: Lee Kyu-sup
* 2002: Kim Seung-hyun
* 2003: Kim Joo-sung
* 2004: Lee Hyun-ho
* 2005: Yang Dong-geun
* 2006: Bang Sung-yoon
* 2007: Lee Hyun-min
* 2008: Kim Tae-sul
* 2009: Ha Seung-jin
* 2010: Park Sung-jin
* 2011: Park Chan-hee
* 2012: Oh Se-keun
* 2013: Choi Boo-kyung
* 2014: Kim Jong-kyu
* 2015: Lee Seoung-hyun
* 2016: Jung Sung-woo
* 2017: Kang Sang-jae
* 2018: Ahn Young-joon
* 2019: Byeon Jun-hyung
* 2020: Kim Hoon
* 2021: Oh Jae-hyun
* 2022: Lee Woo-seok
* 2023: RJ Abarrientos
* 2024: Yoo Ki-sang
* 2025: JD Cagulangan

* v
* t
* e

Korean Basketball League

Teams|

* Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters
* Busan KCC Egis
* Changwon LG Sakers
* Daegu KOGAS Pegasus
* Goyang Sono Skygunners
* Seoul Samsung Thunders
* Seoul SK Knights
* Suwon KT Sonicboom
* Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus
* Wonju DB Promy

Seasons|

* 1997
* 1997–98
* 1998–99
* 1999–00
* 2000–01
* 2001–02
* 2002–03
* 2003–04
* 2004–05
* 2005–06
* 2006–07
* 2007–08
* 2008–09
* 2009–10
* 2010–11
* 2011–12
* 2012–13
* 2013–14
* 2014–15
* 2015–16
* 2016–17
* 2017–18
* 2018–19
* 2019–20
* 2020–21
* 2021–22
* 2022–23
* 2023–24
* 2024–25
* 2025–26

Draft|

* 1998
* 2007
* 2011
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017

Awards|

* Most Valuable Player
* Rookie of the Year
* Best 5
* Most Improved Player
* Defensive Best 5
* Defensive Player of the Year
* Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award

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