Park Ji-soo’s Return Fuels KB’s Dominance: How the ‘National Treasure’ Center Leads the WKBL

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Park Ji-su did it again. The Cheongju KB center returned to the WKBL and immediately pushed the team to the top of the regular-season standings. Park backed up the hype with steady performances every night and sparked a level of synergy that lifted those around her. 

KB beat Busan BNK 94-69 on March 30 at Busan Sajik Gymnasium in a BNK Financial 2025-26 WKBL road game.

With the victory, KB improved to 21-9 and clinched first place regardless of other results.

Even if second-place Bucheon Hana Bank, currently 20-9, defeats Incheon Shinhan Bank on April 1 to also reach 21-9, KB holds the season series tiebreaker 4-2, so the standings will remain unchanged.

That marks KB’s first regular-season title in two years (since 2023-24) and the sixth in franchise history.

The driving force behind KB’s charge was unquestionably center Park Ji-su.

Park, who swept an unprecedented eight crowns in the 2023-24 WKBL season, spent time playing in Turkey before returning to KB last June.

KB had dipped while she was away, but her arrival back in the lineup immediately made them a top title contender.

Park began the season with high expectations but missed time early due to a kidney infection (pyelonephritis). Since returning, she has been the team’s clear ace every game.

She appeared in 23 games this season, averaging 16.54 points and 10.1 rebounds — registering a double-double in every game she played. Consistent and effective. 

Park’s dominance inside elevated the entire roster. Her steady presence allowed floor general Heo Ye-eun to sharpen her playmaking, while Kang I-seul shook off pressure and took more aggressive shots, re-establishing herself as one of the league’s top shooters.

Opponents faced a lose-lose choice: collapse on Park in the paint and give Kang open looks from deep, or guard the perimeter and let Park run wild inside. The result was a formidable “Park–Kang–Heo” trio that proved greater than the sum of its parts. 

With standout performances on and off the court that pushed KB to first place and unlocked her teammates’ potential, Park Ji-su has emerged as a leading MVP candidate.

If Park wins this season’s MVP, it would be her fourth overall.