If there’s something that Lee Gwan Hee is thankful for, it’s the time he spent in the Philippines.
For the Seoul Samsung Thunders star, his stint with the Phoenix Fuel Masters in the Philippine Basketball Association in 2016 brought him some much-needed confidence.
The 6-foot-2 guard was signed by the Fuel Masters back in the 2016 Governors’ Cup, a time when the league allowed teams to pick Asian imports to add more spice to the competition.
Lee averaged just 7.6 points in the eliminations, but had 24 points on 9-of-10 shooting with six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block – in a 136-125 loss to the TNT KaTropa.
Photo from PBA Images
That game, which was a do-or-die quarterfinal, was the best game he ever had in the Filipino pro league.
“Because of the time I spent in the Philippines, I have confidence playing in abroad so that’s why I can do good in Japan, Macau, and the Philippines,” said the 30-year-old veteran.
Lee’s boosted confidence has been on display lately in the Asia League’s The Terrific 12 in Macau. On Wednesday, he played a huge role in helping the Thunders storm to the semifinals.
Lee had 17 points on 58 percent shooting from the floor, along with four rebounds, two assists, and a steal to steer Seoul to a 85-73 victory over the Shandong Xiwang Golden Stars.
“Maybe Korea isn’t the place where I need to play,” Lee then kidded, which drew laughter from the Korean press and led Samsung coach Lee Sangmin to tap him on the head while chuckling.
“Definitely, the time I spent in the Philippines helped me become a better player.”
iECO Green Warriors head coach Ariel Vanguardia, meanwhile, is happy to see that Lee has blossomed into who he is right now – Vanguardia was the Fuel Masters’ head coach back in 2016.
The seasoned bench tactician, moreover, was the one who discovered Lee when the South Korean national was in the Philippines working out with coach Kirk Coller back then.
“I know he’s got plenty of upside. Everyone was surprised when I signed him. But I am not. He’s not the typical Korean player. His skill set is different,” shared Vanguardia.
“I love coaching him.”
