Adam Fried/The Diamondback
Terrapin men’s basketball coach Gary Williams said Tuesday sophomore forward Jin Soo Choi, the first South Korean to earn a basketball scholarship at the D-I level, plans to leave the program.
Choi, who changed his name from Jin Soo Kim earlier this year in deference to his stepfather, was struggling academically and failed a class during the fall semester, according to a report in The Korea Times.
It’s possible Choi would have been ruled academically ineligible for the spring semester, which starts Jan. 25. Choi’s first language is Korean, and Williams had previously acknowledged the language barrier was difficult to overcome for the 6-foot-8 wing player.
“After speaking with my family, we decided it would be best to continue my basketball career in Korea,” Choi said in the Athletic Department’s prepared release. “I want to thank the coaches and especially Coach Williams for giving me an opportunity to play basketball at a high level.”
Choi’s family has filed a petition to gain Choi entry into this season’s Korean Basketball League draft, according to The Washington Post.
In a recent interview with a Korean basketball magazine Choi said, “It is really hard to do both ― play basketball and study. Studying causes me a lot of stress. I only want to play basketball, I don’t want to have to think about studying.”
Last year, Choi was declared academically ineligible on Jan. 27. He sat out the team’s loss to Boston College, but was reinstated three days later per a waiver from the NCAA.
“We wish Jin Soo well in whatever he decides to pursue,” Williams said in the release. “We appreciate the contributions he’s made to our basketball program in the past two seasons.”
Choi was initially declared ineligible before being cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse before the 2008-2009 season, after a review of some of his high school credits.
Choi was hailed as a long-range shooting threat coming out of South Kent High School in Connecticut, but failed to gain a regular spot in the Terps’ rotation.
This season, Choi played in nine games, averaging 0.8 points and 1.1 rebounds in 4.9 minutes per game.
akraut at umdbk dot com
