Basketball

Dave Ildefonso Takes On Challenge to Play in Korean Basketball League

By Annika Caniza - January 10, 2023
Another young basketball talent is making headlines with a transfer to another league, as Dave Ildefonso moves to the Korean Basketball League to play for Suwon KT Sonicboom.

Last Monday, former Ateneo Blue Eagle Dave Ildefonso made an announcement on Instagram, proudly sharing that he will be playing as an import in the Korean Basketball League for the team, Suwon KT Sonicboom.

In his caption, he shared his thought process in making this career-defining move.

“When the opportunity to play in Korea opened itself up to me, I was overwhelmed with mixed emotions-excitement, fear. But that is a healthy fear. It is the kind of fear that, when you overcome it, will make you better & stronger. So I asked myself what’s best not just for me but for my family & people around me,” he wrote.

Dave Ildefonso also believes that his move to Korea will be beneficial to him as an athlete and it will bring pride to his family.

In addition, he also shares, “It will be great for both our national basketball program and our professional league for young guys like me to experience first-hand the basketball culture of other countries, and eventually share that knowledge back home.”

Dave Ildefonso moves to the Korean Basketball League
From Dave Ildefonso’s Instagram.

As Dave Ildefonso moves to the Korean Basketball League, he becomes the seventh Filipino to become an Asian quota player in the KBL, joining the likes of RJ RJ Abarrientos, SJ Belangel, and Justin Gutang in Korea.

Ildefonso’s new team, Suwon KT Sonicboom, is currently seventh in the league standings. With a 13-16 win-loss record, the Filipino definitely has a chance to prove his worth on the team.

Banner image from Dave Ildefonso on Instagram.


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