US basketball player survives height limit

Charles Rhodes expresses relief after the results of his successful physical exam at the Korean Basketball League building in southern Seoul, Friday. / Yonhap

Rhodes gives thanks to God. / Yonhap

By Jung Min-ho

The moment of truth / Yonhap

Charles Rhodes, an American player in the Korean Basketball League (KBL), heaved a sigh of relief Friday after he realized that he is short enough to continue his career here.

The center of the Jeonju KCC had a big smile on his face and briefly knelt on the floor to give thanks to God after a new physical exam showed that he is 199.2cm, a permissible height to play next season. He was measured at 200.1cm last year.

“I'm really happy about the result,” Rhodes told reporters at the KBL building.

His height became big news following the KBL's decision to limit foreign players' height to 2 meters (6.56 feet). Each team is allowed two foreign players. Under the new rule, one player must not be taller than 2 meters and the other must be no taller than 1.86 meters.

The rule has affected a few players, including the Anyang KGC's David Simon (202.1cm), the No. 1 scorer of the 2017-2018 season, and the Wonju Dongbu's Rod Benson (206.7cm), who is too tall to expect similar good luck that saved Rhodes.

The KBL thinks height restrictions will encourage teams to recruit players with better speed and skills rather than “just tall ones.”

The rule does not apply to Korean athletes, however. The league's tallest player is Ha Seung-jin of Jeonju KCC, who stands 221cm.