'Could Heo Ung (33, KCC), who put on a record-breaking 51-point performance in one game, wear the taegeuk mark again?'
Busan KCC EGIS crushed the Seoul SK Knights 120-77 on Feb. 2 at Jamsil Students' Gymnasium in Seoul in the 2025-2026 LG Electronics professional basketball fifth round. KCC cleanly avenged the 72-102 thrashing by SK in Busan on Jan. 25.
It was Heo Ung's day. Heo hit an astonishing 10 three-pointers in the first half alone, and together with Woo Ji-won he tied for the most three-pointers in a first half in history, showing remarkable form. The all-time first place is Moon Kyung-eun with 13.
Heo added four more three-pointers in the second half to erupt for a total of 51 points. Naturally, it was a personal single-game scoring record. With more than a 40-point lead by mid-fourth quarter, Heo headed to the bench. But he returned to the court to try to break the record and played until the end. Eddie Danielle even committed to guarding him persistently to the point of risking ejection, but Heo's shots kept falling. In the end, Heo surpassed 51 points, ranking third all-time for most points by a domestic player in a single game.
Moon Kyung-eun's 22 and Woo Ji-won's 21 still stand as the first and second most three-pointers in a single game. Although many of the three-pointers were made by being fed opportunities, it is an astounding record. However, because teams put personal titles ahead of winning for the team, it remains a 'black moment in professional basketball.' At the time, the KBL, conscious of public criticism, removed personal titles such as three-pointers for a while.
After the KCC game, Nikolaus Mazulus, coach of the men's national basketball team, offered his hand to Heo Ung. Scoring 51 points in front of the national team coach makes Heo's taegeuk mark look all but secured.
Heo said, "It has been almost three years since I was last called to the national team. If given the chance, I want to do my best," showing his eagerness.
In December last year, coach Jeon Hee-chul, who took the helm temporarily ahead of the World Cup qualifiers, wanted Heo to join. At the time, with Yoo Ki-sang ruled out by injury, a shooter was absolutely needed. But Heo's selection reportedly failed due to opposition from the committee for improving game performance. They judged that Heo's private life issue had not been resolved.
The sports ethics committee included in its rules the duty that 'national team athletes should refrain from acts that harm the dignity of the national team and strive to be national representatives the public can be proud of.' No matter how skilled, players who violate the rules cannot keep national team eligibility. The committee interpreted that Heo's private life issue falls under this rule.
A Basketball Association official said, "There is a difficulty in selecting Heo before a definitive conclusion is reached about the private life issue."
A KCC official said, "A lot of time has passed since Heo Ung's private life issue. I understand the parties have reached an agreement. The association has never requested the club to confirm the matter. The club could not be the first to disclose a private life issue," they said.
Ultimately, whether Heo Ung returns to the national team is likely to hinge on the interpretation of the private life controversy rather than his ability. The committee is expected to discuss the Heo issue as it selects the final 12 members of the national team on the morning of the 4th.
Coach Mazulus is known to prefer evaluating players coldly based on data, and is reportedly in favor of selecting Heo. Younger brother Heo Hoon also received high marks from Coach Mazulus and is likely to be named to the national team.
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