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This article was written in September and published in the October 2023 issue of Basket Korea Webzine (link to purchase Basket Korea Webzine)

Several foreign players who have enjoyed professional basketball in the 2010s have long-term relationships. Aaron Haynes, Rod Benson, and Ricardo Powell are representative.


Charles Lord is not to be left out. Rod played with KBL for nine out of 10 seasons from the last 2010-2011 season to the 2019-2020 season. During his nine seasons, he went through Busan KT (now Suwon KT), Incheon Electronic Land (now Daegu Korea Gas Corporation), Anyang KGC Ginseng Corporation (now Anyang Jeonggwanjang), Ulsan Mobis (now Ulsan Hyundai Mobis) and Jeonju KCC (now Busan KCC). He was a player who received a lot of love from fans.

Before college & KBL
Born in Galveston, Texas, Rod went on to attend Lanier High School and then to Mississippi State University. He played four seasons for the NCAA Mississippi State Bulldogs.


Rod's college life was tough. He was disciplined for his poor attitude, such as being late for practice. Above all, Lawrence Roberts, who was nominated as the NBA Memphis Grizzlies, was holding out in the same position, making it difficult for Rod to secure time to play.


In the 2004-2005 season when he was a freshman, he played 16 games and played 6.5 minutes on average. He had only 2.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. There were not many opportunities, and there were many problems, such as bumping into coaches. So Rod even seriously considered transferring. However, after talking with manager Rick Stansbury, he decided to stay.


I took a step forward in my second year. He recorded 13.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in 25 games. He showed improved productivity and outstanding performance in conference tournaments. Although he was not selected as the official South East Conference (SEC) second team, he was named as the second team determined by the leaders of the conference.


In the 2006-2007 season when he was a junior, he played all 25 games as a starting member. He performed well with an average of 13.7 points and 6.2 rebounds. Although he was not fully fit due to a wrist injury he suffered during the season, he kept his team strong under the basket. In conference games, he showed off a stronger aspect with an average of 15.4 points, and in seven of them, he showed off his scoring ability with more than 20 points.


Rod tried to enter the NBA draft after the 2006-2007 season. However, Rod, who failed to select the agent properly, was not called to the pre-event before the nomination. He had to show good performance in the club and workout, but he didn't even have a chance to show his strengths. Rod, who is less likely to go to the NBA, went back to college.


In the 2007-2008 season, the last year of the university, he showed great enthusiasm. Rod embroidered the court with 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. I had the most outstanding year since I went to college. Mississippi State topped the conference West in the regular season thanks to Lord's performance. I played in a tournament after a long time.


Lorde was alone in charge of 34 points in the first gate of the national tournament. Led the team to the next round. However, he lost in the second round to the Memphis Tigers, led by Derek Rose (now the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA). He then entered the 2008 NBA Draft, but was not selected. He then headed to Europe, but was out for the season due to an ankle injury.

in Busan
Rod, who had a hard time due to injury, turned to Korea. Rod, who tried out and drafted foreign players in the 2010 KBL, was called by KT as the 10th pick in the second round.


KT's first option was Jasper Johnson. Rod, who spent college in Mississippi, knew Johnson better than anyone else. Johnson, who was a contemporary, was a player representing Mississippi State. Although Rod did not play much because of Johnson, he was greatly helped to adapt to the league.


Lorde boasted more than two options. He averaged 15.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in his first season (2010-2011).


If the motion-offens went well when Johnson stepped up, it became a high fight when Rod ran. So KT was able to play in various configurations. This led to KT's good performance.


However, Johnson was injured in the second half of the 2010-2011 season. Even if KT ranked first in the regular league, the reason why KT's power was not intact. KT, which was not 100 percent, met Wonju Dongbu (currently Wonju DB) in the semifinal playoff. Dongbu, where Rod Benson, Kim Joo-sung (current DB coach), and Yoon Ho-young held out, was not an easy opponent for KT.


Rods also struggled at the height of the east during the regular season. But they struggled in the semi-final playoffs. He played an average of 22.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and two blocks in four games. Because of Rod, KT was able to play on a par with Dongbu.


However, Rod's physical strength quickly dropped as he had to keep under the basket by Rod Holo. KT eventually collapsed in the semifinal playoff. And although KBL changed its foreign player system to "one-man possession-1 participation," KT renewed its contract with Lord.


Rod, who is in his second year of KBL, has been reborn as a full starting player. However, Lord occasionally expressed dissatisfaction with the decision. KT was badly affected as the road to take center was shaken. So KT coach Jeon Chang-jin (current Busan KCC coach) considered replacing the rod in the middle of the season. However, he could not find a replacement.


And Rod led the team with an average of 20.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in the 2011-2012 season. In particular, block shots rank first on the season average. He showed competitiveness among the players who boasted tremendous ransom. He also won the All-Star game dunk contest with a cheerful slam dunk. However, he was briefly off the court due to injury. He returned in the playoffs, but again failed to reach the championship game.

In Incheon
Rod failed to renew his contract with KT after the end of the 2011-2012 season. He was also not called by other clubs. He played in Spain's first division shortly after the season, but was released after four games. He then spent one season in Turkey. However, he injured his knee at the beginning of the season and was out of the lineup for a long time. He then went on to try out and draft foreign players in the 2013 KBL.


Lorde was called by eland in the sixth place in the first round. E-Land collapsed due to Lord's performance in the 2011-2012 round of six playoffs. But Lord was not the same as before. Due to the aftermath of the knee injury, he failed to show explosive elasticity and astute movement. The under-the-basket-shot fight was also not active.


So even though Rod was drafted in the first round, he had to back Ricardo Powell. Powell, who spent a lot of time at E-Land, showed excellent chemistry with his existing players, and Rod gradually melted into the team. Not only did he not cause any trouble like before, but he also tried to help the team with his quiet (?) appearance.


E-Land faced KT once again in the round of six playoffs in the 2013-2014 season. After Game 5, he failed to surpass KT once again. Rod, who showed enthusiasm against his former team, also failed to change the mood. He failed to play in the semifinals for the first time since entering the KBL.

Back in Busan
Electroland re-signed with Lorde after the end of the 2013-2014 season. However, the trade was carried out immediately. Instead of sending Rod to KT, E-Land brought Terence Leather, who was recruited from KT.


Rod tried to get back on his feet at KT. Although my athletic ability was worse than before, I became more mature mentally. Along with Cho Sung-min (current coach of Anyang Chung Kwan-jang), he has been reborn as a clear axis of KT.


In the middle of the season, there was also a huge milestone. In early January 2015, he scored his first triple-double in the KBL with 21 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks. More surprising was the triple-double with the block shot. It was a triple-double with a block shot that was achieved in 10 years since Chris Lang (former Seoul SK). In the game held a day later, he also approached a triple-double. But one rebound was missing. The second triple-double was not established.


Rodd had 1.4 assists on a game-per-game block shot of 16.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.7 in 52 regular league games between 2014 and 2015. He ranked first in average block shooting for the second time in his career following the 2011-2012 season. However, KT failed to advance to the playoffs despite Rod's performance. Rod experienced his fourth season in the KBL, but failed to make a playoff connection for the first time since joining the KBL.

Clippers sign Joshua Primo... Conversion of regular contracts

The Clippers caught Primo this offseason. Decided to catch him, who was released by the San Antonio Spurs early last season. Filled in the squad by catching him with a two-way deal, who was released after causing a stir in his career.


As Primo joins the team under a two-way contract, he can only play when he is promoted to the big league. The NBA secretariat announced his disciplinary action after the contract switch. He will not be able to play for the next four games, and he will be able to play from thereafter.


The Clippers made the backcourt a bit more robust by calling him up. The Clippers, which brought in James Harden in a large trade early in the season, strengthened their rotation of guards by collecting primo. As Bones Highland is holding out on the bench, but the player's base has become weak, we have decided to join him in earnest, who has big league experience and potential.


Primo played in 50 games during the 2021-2022 season as a rookie. He played 19.3 minutes per game and recorded 5.8 points (.374.307.764) 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists. As he settled down easily in the first season, he raised expectations afterwards. In his second year last season, he posted 3.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists in an average of 23.3 minutes in his first four games.


He was called by San Antonio with the 12th pick in the first round in the last 2021 draft. It was included in San Antonio's long-term plan, but it caused the release. Since being released last season, he hasn't been able to establish himself in a new place. Other clubs were also cautious to call him in. Meanwhile, the Clippers decided to give him a chance this time. Meanwhile, with Primo's contract switch, the Clippers have decided to change Xavier Moon's contract to a two-way deal.