Kim Jinsoo first Korean to play in NCAA Basketball Tournament

"I'm very happy to be participating in the tournament. Eventually, I want to play in the NBA" Jinsoo Kim of The University of Maryland.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA, is the organization that both runs and coordinates the athletic programs for around 1,300 schools in America. One of the most popular events that the NCAA sponsors is the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship held in March.

This year the tournament has special significance to the Korean American community as Kim Jin-soo will be the first ever Korean to participate in the tournament. Kim came to the United States when he was in high school with the hope of entering the NBA.

Currently he attends the University of Maryland and plays the position of small forward. Maryland currently holds the 10th seed in the northern conference and is scheduled to face off against California in the first round of the NCAA. An interview with Kim is as follows

- How do you feel about participating in the tournament?
"I'm very happy and honored to be the first Korean to participate in the most prestigious basketball tournament in America. Everyone including my coach and teammates, cheered on Mar.15 when our place in the tournament was confirmed. I look forward to playing our opponent in the first round, the University of California."

- Do you think you will play in the first game?
"Honestly, I don't think I'm ready to play in the tournament yet. Also because I am the only Korean in the tournament, I feel like I am sometimes overlooked. Hopefully, in the future many more Korean players will get the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament."

- In your opinion, what is the difference between high school and college basketball?
"Basketball in high school is just for fun, but in college both my athletics and academics need to be taken seriously. All of my classes require a lot of efforts and I also must devote my time to practicing my game, which includes play memorization and physical fitness. There are no simple or easy plays in our offensive strategies. Typically, we learn the plays and general offensive strategies and then drill them. For example, some plays have 40 or more pages of diagrams."

- What is the greatest challenge you have experienced in the United States?
"My classes are the most challenging. Sometimes, I have a really difficult time."

- How is your relationship with your coach?
"I think he likes my playing style, although he said that I cannot play in games until my defensive skills improve. However, he also said he chose me because of my offensive ability. If I improve on my defensive skills, I think I will be in a good position."

- How are you getting to Glendale, Arizona, the tournaments location and what do you think of their facilities?
"We rented a plane to take us to Arizona on March18. The plane is huge because it's for lots of people including coaches, players, staff, cheerleaders, and the band. All together there are over 100 people. I think the plane is covered by the NCAA. I haven't been to their training facilities yet, but because of all the publicity events that the team is involved in, I've been really busy.

- What do you want to accomplish both in this tournament and your college career?
"I want to represent all Koreans in American athletics, by being the first Korean to compete in the NCAA tournament. After graduation it's my dream to play in the NBA."