Busan KCC's Heo Ung says talent, luck to thank for KBL success

Busan KCC Egis Heo Ung poses for a photo during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo in Yongin, Gyeonggi on Dec. 28, 2023. [JOONGANG ILBO]

Busan KCC Egis Heo Ung’s impact has been clear both on and off the court, again. He has not only been a key player in Egis’s recent success in the KBL, but also topped the 2023-24 KBL all-star fan vote for the fifth time in his career.

Heo’s impact on the court has been front and center this season, as he allowed his team to ride a seven-game winning streak from Dec. 12 through Dec. 25 last year and overcome a wobble in the early days of the 2023-24 season.

Egis struggled in the early days of the season and slipped down to eighth-place on the 10-team table, but has bounced back to sit in fifth-place as of Tuesday.

During that seven-game winning streak, Heo displayed a convincing performance, scoring 98 points alone to lead the team’s attack alongside his teammates Rah Gun-ah, Choi Jun-yong and Lee Seung-hyun.

“I am just happy about the fact that I can play along with these masterclass players when I am at my peak age,” Heo said during an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo in Yongin, Gyeonggi on Dec. 28 last year. “I still have a long way to go, and I want to win [the league title] for fans in our new home Busan.”

The team, formerly known as Jeonju KCC Egis, was renamed Busan KCC Egis last year after moving from Jeonju, North Jeolla to Busan last summer.

Heo is also undoubtedly one of the most popular players in the KBL, as he has topped the fan vote five times. The 30-year-old shooting guard’s popularity is partly thanks to being the older son of KBL legend Hur Jae — he chooses to spell his last name differently — though Heo thinks it is not the main factor.

“But I think my talent is the No. 1 factor [for my popularity],” Heo said. “In my case, talent has been a factor, and I’ve been really lucky as well. My dad’s popularity has played as a factor, and I’ve been able to receive overwhelming love as I appeared in many TV shows with my younger brother.”

Heo Ung received the most amount of this season’s KBL all-star fan votes with 166,616, and his younger brother Heo Hoon came in second with 141,655.

The 2023-24 KBL all-star game will take place on Jan. 14 with Heo and multiple other star players heading to Goyang Gymnasium in Goyang, Gyeonggi.

Until then, Heo will continue to be in action with Egis, as the Busan side is set to face Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus at home on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

BY KO BONG-JUN [kjdsports@joongang.co.kr]