"Mom, I Won a Gold Medal Too" Lee Hyunjoong Inherits Golden DNA 36 Years Later

Explosion for 27 Points and 18 Rebounds in the Final
Korea Captures Asian Games Basketball Gold After 12 Years
Mother and Son Gold Medals: Following in the Footsteps of Sung Jungah’s 1990 Triumph

Thirty-six years after his mother stood atop Asia, it was now her son’s turn. Lee Hyunjoong, the “ace” of the Korean men’s basketball team, made history by winning his first-ever Asian Games gold medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. This remarkable achievement follows in the footsteps of his mother, Sung Jungah, an executive of the Korea Basketball Association, who was a gold medalist in women’s basketball at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games.

At the men's basketball awards ceremony of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held on the 20th at Nagoya Aichi International Arena, South Korea's Lee Hyunjoong is greeting fans after the ceremony. Photo by Yonhap News

On September 20 at the Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan, Lee Hyunjoong led Korea to a 67-57 victory in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games men’s basketball final, scoring 27 points and grabbing 18 rebounds. This marks Korea’s first men’s basketball gold medal at the Asian Games in 12 years since the 2014 Incheon games, and their fifth overall after previous successes in Bangkok in 1970, New Delhi in 1982, Busan in 2002, and Incheon in 2014. It is also the first time in 44 years that Korea has won the men's basketball gold at an overseas Asian Games since their 1982 triumph in New Delhi.

Proving Himself as an Ace: Averaging 24 Points Across Six Games

Undoubtedly, Lee Hyunjoong was at the heart of this gold medal run. Although he managed only 5 points in the first half of the final, he exploded in the pivotal third quarter. After breaking the ice with a steal and score, he sank a series of his signature three-pointers. In total, he made five three-pointers, finished with a game-high 27 points, and contributed 18 rebounds to dominate the paint. He accounted for more than 40% of Korea’s 67 total points in the final.

Yonhap News Agency

Lee Hyunjoong was the centerpiece of Korea’s offense throughout the entire tournament, not just in the final. He scored 23 points in the opening group stage match against Saudi Arabia, and recorded 24 points and 10 rebounds against Indonesia. In the group match against Japan, he posted 16 points and 7 assists. He shone even brighter in the knockout rounds, recording 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists against Jordan in the quarterfinals, and 26 points and 14 rebounds against Iran in the semifinals. Over six games, he averaged 24 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.3 steals, ranking second in the entire tournament in all three categories.

This gold medal is even more special because of his family’s legacy. Lee Hyunjoong’s mother, Sung Jungah, was one of the leading figures in Korean women’s basketball, claiming a silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and a gold medal at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games. Exactly 36 years later, her son now stands atop Asia as well.

Notably, Sung Jungah and Lee Hyunjoong are now the first mother and son to both win Asian Games gold medals in basketball. Reflecting on his mother after the win, Lee said, “Having someone like my mother in my family keeps me humble. I consider her presence my biggest fortune.” His father is also deeply rooted in basketball — Lee Yunhwan, coach of Samil High School, has served for years as a high school basketball leader, fostering players like Ha Seungjin. Truly born into a “basketball family,” Lee Hyunjoong has now carried on his parents’ legacy and reached the pinnacle of Asian basketball as a member of the national team.

Departing for the U.S. on the 26th to Compete for a Regular Season Roster Spot

Above all, this Asian Games gold medal is significant for Lee because it allows him to continue pursuing his NBA ambitions. Having competed for Davidson College in the U.S., Lee set his sights on the NBA early, and despite going undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, he continued to challenge himself in the G League, NBA Summer League, Australia’s NBL, and Japan’s B.League. After helping Nagasaki Velca win the 2025-26 B.League season, he is now set to return to the U.S.

The men's basketball final between South Korea and Japan at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held on the 20th at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, Japan. South Korea's Lee Hyunjoong after victory. Photo by Yonhap News

This month, he signed an “Exhibit 10” non-guaranteed one-year contract with the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers. While this does not guarantee a spot on the regular season roster, it does give him an opportunity to compete for a position in training camp. The official NBA website has also reported that Lee Hyunjoong will compete for a spot on Portland’s regular season roster, with the club holding his G League rights.

With the Asian Games gold also granting him eligibility for special status as an artist-athlete, Lee now has the conditions to pursue a long-term overseas career. His sights are already set on the next stage. Right after the victory, Lee declared, “I don’t want to settle here, I want to keep moving forward,” and expressed his ambitions to take on the FIBA World Cup, the Olympics, and the NBA itself. After returning to Korea with the national team, he plans to depart for the U.S. on the 26th to join the competition in Portland.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.