Korean players pose for a photo after winning the men’s basketball gold medal at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, on Sept. 20.YONHAP
Hours before the men's basketball final at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 on Sunday, the Korean team had to cancel its prematch shootaround after its scheduled shuttle bus failed to show up.
The entire team had been waiting for a bus to take them to a practice gym for a shootaround around 10 a.m. from their hotel, ahead of the gold-medal match against host country Japan at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya at 7:40 p.m.
"It was an incident that upset our players," said Lee Seoung-hyun, the captain of Korea's basketball team, on Sunday. "It is unacceptable ahead of the final match that lots of people are watching."
The bus mix-up came after similar transportation and operational problems involving Korean athletes at the Asian Games.
The Korean men's football team experienced several transportation-related issues, while the Korean national anthem was not played during a hockey competition.
However, Lee said the unexpected setback ultimately served as a catalyst that brought the team closer together.
"When the morning practice was canceled, everyone's nerves were on edge. We approached the game with a 'win or die' determination," he said. "In the end, I think it actually had a positive effect."
Instead of warming up by shooting on the court, the basketball team took a walk together and drank coffee to relax. The players turned the unexpected downtime into a chance to build team chemistry and relieve tension ahead of the big match.
"Spending time leisurely without forcing ourselves to relax actually worked out well in the end," Lee added. The veteran center played his 102nd match for the national team Sunday.
Korean players celebrate on the podium after winning the men’s basketball gold medal at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, on Sept. 20.YONHAP
Ace player Lee Hyun-jung, who recorded a game-high 27 points and 18 rebounds, also maintained a calm exterior while keeping his fighting spirit alive.
"The bus no-show was a variable beyond our control. If our performance drops just because morning practice was canceled, we're not real players," he said.
"The coach also urged us to stay cool-headed but keep the spark of fighting spirit alive in our hearts, not to react emotionally."
Head coach Nikolajs Mazurs also tried to focus on the positive side of the situation.
"The bus didn't come, and we went for a walk and enjoyed the good weather. The team walked around the city, seeing the nice views. That's it. And we went to prepare for the game," he said during an official press conference. "So stay positive, not for bad things."
In Sunday's final, Korea beat Japan 67-57 to win the men's basketball gold medal for the first time in 12 years at the Asian Games.
