Sweeping promising players. This is Korean Air’s goal for the rookie draft.
Korean Air has secured as many as three first-round picks in the 2024 V-League Men’s Rookie Draft. Instead of handing over the first round pick to Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance last year and the first round pick in 2023, the Korean Air has secured the first round pick this year. In addition, it recently sent middle blocker Jin Seong-tae to OK Financial Group and secured an additional first round pick. As a result, Korean Air can nominate as many as three of the seven prospects for the first round.
The lottery in the order of drafts is determined by differential probability based on the ranking of the previous season. The probability is only 1 percent for Korean Air, the winner, but there is a possibility that Korean Air will be in an advantageous position in the order, as it also takes the share of OK Financial Group (2 percent) and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (30 percent). In fact, Korean Air acquired the top pick by beating the lowest probability in the tryout of foreign players.
So far, there have been no cases in which a team has nominated three people in the first round in the rookie draft. Except for the new team, Korean Air has set an unprecedented record. As such, it is an unusual move.
It is clear why Korean Air has actively moved to secure the first round nomination. This is due to a generational shift. Korean Air urgently needs young blood transfusions for setters and middle blockers. Han, the main setter, and backup Yoo Kwang-woo were all born in 1985. He maintains top-notch skills at the age of “fearless,” but is highly likely to retire within a year or two. They calculate that the aviation dynasty can be preserved only when young and promising resources are brought in and raised as a successor. The same applies to middle blockers. Excluding Kim Min-jae (21), Kim Kyu-min (34) and Cho Jae-young (33) are entering the veteran ranks.
It is clearly different from the sideline held by those in their 20s, including Jung Ji-seok (29), Jeong Jeong Han-yong (23), and Lee Joon (25), who joined the South Korean military sports unit. 유흥알바
Korean Air’s goal is to take this opportunity to bring in a large number of young blood and prepare for two to three years later.
“Our goal is to strengthen our setter and middle blocker resources through this draft,” a Korean Air source said. “It is also important to prepare for the future. We look forward to selecting many lucky players.”