BANGKOK (Thailand) - Hamed Haddadi. Mohammadsamad Nik Kahbahrami. Lin Chih-Chieh. Yang Gonggeun. These are names that Asian basketball fans are all familiar with from their iconic performances over the years. Legends, you might even call them.

One more thing they have in common? They have all been playing a large role for their teams at the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2019.

Has this been best group of players at the Asia Champions Cup stage ever?

And another one…

Hamed Haddadi and Samad Nikkah Bahrami have won so much with each other and individually that there’s no chance of denying their legendary status.

They have won 3 Asia Cup titles together.
Samad won 4 straight Asia Champions Cup titles from 2007 to 2010, including the 2008 title with Saba Battery playing with Haddadi.
Haddadi then won another Asia Champions Cup in 2013 with Foolad Mahan Isfahan.

With all of those trophies stacked up, the excitement surrounding the announcement that both players would be playing for Naft Abadan at Asia Champions Cup 2019 was more than warranted. Both stars are fresh off impressive World Cup runs in China that saw them secure Olympic bids, so they should be ready for another promising run in Thailand.

These two don’t actually need another Asia Champions Cup title to make their résumés more impressive, but you know that they will be putting their best efforts to win nonetheless.

Over the first two games, Haddadi has averaged 10.0 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. Meanwhile, Samad has been leading the team in scoring with 18.0 points per contest to go with averages of 2.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game.

Beast Lin is in

Arguably the most popular basketball player in Chinese Taipei, Lin Chih-Chieh, will be making his much anticipated debut with the Fubon Braves at the FIBA Asia Champions Cup 2019. He’s spent a large chuck of his prime playing in China with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, but finally decided to come back home this summer.

Up to this day, Asian basketball fans still talk about his performance at Asia Cup 2013. The famed forward averaged 10.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per contest, was named to the All-Tournament team, and led Chinese Taipei to their best finish since 1999 at 4^th place.

Lin Chih-Chieh – or also known as “The Beast” by his faithful fans – has shown that he still plenty left in his tank, averaging 11.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. How far can he get the Braves in their FIBA Asia Champions Cup debut?

It’s about time

There are few players in Korea with as prolific a profile as Yang Dong-Geun. He’s a KBL Rookie of the Year, 4-time MVP, 6-time champion, and 3-time Asia Cup bronze medalist. That’s just not an easy list to compile over one’s basketball career.

Yang is a Hyundai Mobis lifer, having played for only one club in his 15-year career to this point. Now that Hyundai are back in the mix for the Asia Champions Cup this year, it is only proper that Yang Dong-Geun will finally be making his debut in the competition as well.

The 38-year-old has compiled a long list of accolades so far in his career. Adding an Asian Champions Cup title this year would certainly make that list look even better.

He done pretty well so far with a stat line of 11.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, looking to help get Hyundai Mobis to the Final Phase.

FIBA