Lee Sang-min recalls memory of a 54-point crushing defeat... "I wondered if I was just incapable as a coach"

Coach Lee Sang-min has opened up about the psychological pain and sense of inadequacy he experienced during his time as a coach for the Seoul Samsung Thunders. Appearing on the recent tvN variety program "You Quiz on the Block," Coach Lee Sang-min shared his feelings at the time, mentioning a 54-point defeat experienced during his first year as the Seoul Samsung Thunders coach in 2014.

"Am I incapable?" The sense of inadequacy faced as a coach

In the video, Coach Lee Sang-min recalled that the 54-point defeat he suffered in his first year as the Seoul Samsung Thunders coach was the largest point gap in his entire basketball life. Regarding that experience, he expressed the weight of being a coach, which was different from his days as a player. He said that while he learned how to win as a player, playing so many games as a coach was so difficult that he had various thoughts like, "Is this not working? Am I just incapable?"

Furthermore, he showed a stance that there is no definitive answer regarding a coach's philosophy. He explained that because there are various methods, such as leading players strongly to achieve a championship, it was a season that made him constantly reflect on whether his own way was correct. Looking back at that time, he evaluated himself as an insufficient coach who was not fully prepared.

The sound of the TV turned on to soothe sleepless nights

He also mentioned the psychological burden that continued even after leading a championship. Coach Lee Sang-min revealed that he tends to have trouble sleeping due to his sensitive personality. He said there are times when he cannot fall asleep because game situations from that time come to mind when he lies down. Specifically, he shared that worries continued as thoughts like "How should I have called a play then?", "Why did I take this player out?", and "I should have put this player in at this time" repeated.

He also revealed a habit formed to prevent being unable to sleep due to these thoughts. He said that to avoid thinking about basketball, he turns on the TV and tries to sleep by focusing on the sound. He added that because focusing on the TV sound prevents him from thinking about basketball, turning on the TV to sleep has continued as a habit until now.

44 years on a single path of basketball, comfort offered to himself

Coach Lee Sang-min, who has continued a 44-year basketball life, expressed his feelings about the past time. He has been with basketball for 44 years since experiencing his first wound upon starting his basketball life, and he expressed that basketball feels like a first love that came to him by chance.

Looking back on his 44 years of basketball life, he offered encouragement to himself. In the video, he mentioned that although there were many difficult processes, he was lucky to have been able to achieve many things, and expressed his desire to applaud himself, saying, "You worked hard, you went through a lot, and you overcame the difficult times well."