RJ Abarrientos wins Korean Basketball League Rookie of Year honors
Filipino import RJ Abarrientos in the Korean Basketball League. Hyundai Mobis Phoebus Photo
MANILA, Philippines — Filipino import RJ Abarrientos was named the Rookie of the Year in the 2022-23 Korean Basketball League season.
The Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus Asian reinforcement received the top rookie award during a ceremony on Thursday.
Abarrientos shone in his first season in Korea, averaging 13.6 points, 4.8 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 51 games.
The one-and-done player out of Far Eastern University helped Ulsan finish the regular season with a 34-20 record in fourth place to book a ticket to the quarterfinals.
Abarrientos beat fellow Filipino import Rhenz Abando of Anyang KGC and other rookies in the league.
Rhenz Abando. Photo from Anyang KGC
Abando, who averaged 9.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1 assist in 39 games, helped Anyang to become the regular season champion with a 37-17 record for an outright semifinal berth.
Kim Sun Hyung of the Seoul SK Knights was hailed as the Season MVP, his second top individual award since 2013.
SK Knights Jameel Warney earned the Best Import plum, while Abando’s mentor Kim Sang Shik was named Coach of the Year.
Kim and Warney were also part of the mythical team with Anyang KGC’s Omari Spellman and Byeon Jun Hyeong, and Jeon Seong Hyun of the Goyang Carrot Jumpers.
