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Skygunners appoint ex-analsyst Sohn Chang-hwan as head coach

Published: 14 Apr. 2025, 19:26

Goyang Sono Skygunners analyst Sohn Chang-hwan has been appointed the team's new head coach. [YONHAP]

The Goyang Sono Skygunners announced Monday that the club has appointed Sohn Chang-hwan as their new head coach after removing Kim Tae-sul from the position following the team's eighth-place finish on the 10-team table in the 2024-25 KBL regular season.

The Skygunners signed Sohn on a three-year deal, citing his strong communication with players and his expertise in analytics and international operations. Sohn served as the Skygunners’ performance analyst and assistant coach up to the appointment.

“I feel a heavy sense of responsibility, but I’m grateful the club has placed its trust in me,” Sohn said on Monday. “I’ll be a coach who puts players first and uses analysis to amplify their strengths. I want to bring fans both wins and the joy of watching good basketball.”

Sohn brings a range of experience to the role. He played for Anyang SBS — now called the Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Sparks — from 1999 to 2003 and joined the team's PR department after retirement.

He became a performance analyst and contributed to the team’s first championship in the 2011–12 season.

Sohn also became an assistant coach for the team in 2015 and won two KBL regular season titles before moving to the Skygunners last year.

The Skygunners hired Tyler Gatlin as their new lead assistant coach.

Gatlin, 37, previously served as head coach of the NBA G League’s Northern Arizona Suns during the 2017–18 season and worked as an assistant coach with the Stockton Kings from 2018 to 2020.

He later worked as an assitant coach for Jeonju KCC Egis — now called Busan KCC Egis — in the KBL and spent time in Japan with Kyoto Hannaryz and the Tokyo Hachioji Trains.

“Coach Gatlin brings a strong scouting network and deep knowledge of the foreign player market,” the team said in a statement. “His skill development background will also help elevate the quality of our training sessions.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY PIH JU-YOUNG [[email protected]]