"Jisu Park and Ji-hyun Park both out?" Women’s basketball takes bold step with no replacements—A grueling quest for gold [Nagoya Asian Games]

[Financial News] A major setback has hit South Korea’s women’s national basketball team as it prepares to pursue a medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The team’s core duo, Ji-hyun Park of the Los Angeles Sparks and Jisu Park of KB, who have competed on the world stage, will ultimately be unable to take the court in Nagoya.
The Korea Basketball Association officially announced on the 14th, "Jisu Park and Ji-hyun Park, among the 13 players previously named for the national team’s strengthening training, will be unable to join the Asian Games. We have decided not to select additional replacements for their absence and will compete in the tournament with a final roster of 11 players."
The national team, led by head coach Park Soo-ho, had conducted call-up training since July with a 13-player roster that initially included both athletes. After facing Japan in exhibition games in August and competing in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup earlier this month, the team had been preparing specifically for the Asian Games. However, just before the tournament, it suffered the devastating loss of two key players at once.


Ji-hyun Park, a star competing in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), had already agreed with the national team to participate only through the World Cup because of her club’s demanding schedule. The most painful blow, however, was the final withdrawal of ‘national treasure’ center Jisu Park.
The Korea Basketball Association explained, "Jisu Park showed a strong desire to join the national team and remained in constant communication with the coaching staff. She worked tirelessly to recover until the very end while keeping open the possibility of competing, but after comprehensively considering her current physical condition and recovery rate, we decided that she would withdraw." Given her overwhelming presence in the paint, her absence represents a tremendous loss to the team’s strength.
But the bench did not waver. Rather than disrupt the team by hastily selecting replacement players, head coach Park Soo-ho chose to trust the unity of the players who had worked and sweated together.
Park said, "Since the summer, the players have undergone rigorous training together and built strong cohesion. It is extremely disappointing that Jisu Park cannot be with us, but instead of bringing in a new face at this point, we will focus on and reinforce the tactics and chemistry that the 11 players have developed so far and show you good basketball."
Having lost two key players and committed fully to a last-stand effort, the women’s national basketball team will arrive in Nagoya, the site of the competition, on the 15th. South Korea is in Group C and will begin with its opening game against Malaysia on the 18th, followed by matches against Mongolia on the 21st and Taiwan on the 22nd as it battles for a place in the knockout stage.

Guards: Heo Ye-eun (KB), Ahn Hye-ji, Lee So-hee (Busan BNK Sum), Park So-hee (Bucheon Hana Bank)
Forwards: Choi Yi-sam (Busan BNK Sum), Jung Hyun (Bucheon Hana Bank), Kang Yu-rim, Lee Hae-ran (Samsung Life Insurance), Kang Yi-seul (Asan Woori Bank Woori Won)
Centers: Jin An (Bucheon Hana Bank), Hong Yu-sun (Incheon Shinhan Bank S-Birds)

[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter