Prim will stay with the Hyundai Mobis next season.
On March 31, the KBL announced that the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus have decided to re-sign foreign player Gage Prim.
Born in 1999, Prim graduated from Missouri State University and started his professional career with the Hyundai Mobis last season. He was one of the best new faces to join the KBL last season. He averaged 18.7 points and 10.7 rebounds, making him a pillar of the team even as more experienced veterans struggled.
As such, it was no surprise that Hyundai Mobis decided to re-sign him to a contract extension, and it paid off. The next season, Prim will continue to wear the Hyundai Mobis jersey and play at Ulsan Dongcheon Gymnasium. Head coach Cho Dong-hyun said that he decided to re-sign Prim as soon as the season ended.
“When I saw how well he fit in with our team last year and how hard he worked, there was no reason not to re-sign him. There was no hesitation. He adapted well to the KBL, had good chemistry with the team, and is a player who can fulfill what we want, such as being active in transition. He’s a hardworking and passionate player, so we decided to re-sign him right after the season ended.”
Even when Hyundai Mobis was struggling due to Justin Knox’s injury, Prim was a steady presence on the court. Head coach Cho Dong-hyun also praised Prim for playing every game without getting injured. He defied expectations and didn’t seem to be outclassed by opposing 1-option players.
“We didn’t decide on a first or second option, but we signed him because he worked well with the team last year. It’s not that the new player will be the second option, but we also plan to increase his playing time because he is a player who can reliably take the option under the basket. He did a good job last year when he played alone, and he’s not an injury-prone player. He’s young and has a lot of upside, and I give him a lot of credit for playing all 54 games.”
Another advantage of Prim is that he is still a young player, so he is expected to grow further based on his experience from last season. Based on this, he can have a strong synergy with the younger players of Hyundai Mobis.
“Anyway, he plays well and has a lot of activity. I think he’s a good fit for the fast transition basketball that the team is trying to play, and I think we can grow together. His agent also contacted me to thank me for helping him get settled in. I think this year will be even better. I was worried about coming overseas for the first time after graduating from college, but I’m happy with my life in Korea and I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
Regarding his foul trouble, he said, “I think it will get better. Last year, I was worried because it was my first year after graduating from college, but I think I will improve this year in that regard.”
Hyundai Mobis has completed the re-signing of Prim, which was a priority, and is prioritizing players with ball-handling ability as his partner. He also has to think about harmonizing with domestic big men Ham Ji-hoon, Kim Jun-il, and Jang Jae-seok.먹튀검증
“There are good foreign players on the inside, so we’re looking in many ways,” Cho said. We’re looking at players who can play outside, who can handle the ball a little bit. We’re still looking, and I think we can expand our options in a lot of ways. We’re looking for players who can fit into the team, not necessarily as a number five or a number four. We’re looking at players who can handle the ball. It’s good to have a player who can handle the ball, even when you consider the use of Korean big men. We’ll have more spacing,” he said.
“We’ve only decided on the (gauge) prime, nothing is set in stone yet. I’m still checking players, and the more I do, the higher my eyes get, so I’m looking for good players.(Laughs) I’ve been traveling in the Japanese league, so I’m going to be careful. This year, I want to have a player who can play with the ball,” he added.