Premiering on Sunday, July 5 at 11:05 PM, SBS Rising Eagles Season 2 features the return of Korean basketball legend Seo Jang-hoon as head coach, leading the team toward their second flight.
This season, the team has completed a national-level coaching staff with the addition of KBL legend and guard Kim Tae-sul. They are joined by returning members SHINee’s Minho, Son Tae-jin, Park Chan-woong, Oh Seung-hoon, 2AM’s Jeong Jin-woon, Moon Soo-in, Lee Dae-hee, Jeong Gyu-min, and Kim Taek. The roster has been further strengthened by the arrival of the physically imposing Julien Kang, hidden talent Jo Jin-se—who has been honing his skills since middle school—EXO’s Chanyeol, and the ambitious rookie Jin-hyeok from NOWZ.
Before embarking on the national championship, the new and existing members faced off in a 3-on-3 match fueled by pride. Chanyeol ignited an internal rivalry by naming his SM senior and fellow passion-driven member Minho as his target. Jo Jin-se also provoked Jeong Gyu-min by declaring, "I will take your number 13 jersey," to which Jeong Gyu-min retorted, "I will definitely set the rookies straight today," raising the tension on the court to its peak.
The rookies’ performances stunned everyone on set. Chanyeol, in particular, showed off high-level skills by sinking consecutive shots, earning high praise from head coach Seo Jang-hoon, who noted, "His shooting touch is exceptional." Julien Kang dominated the paint with his human-wall physique, while the existing Eagles members countered with solid teamwork, leading to an unpredictable and fierce battle. It is also reported that a special 1-on-1 match between legendary guard coach Kim Tae-sul and Jeon Tae-poong brought a rare, bright smile to Coach Seo Jang-hoon’s face.
However, the festive atmosphere was short-lived. As the national championship approaches, amateur basketball powerhouses began launching cold provocations, leaving the set frozen. Opposing teams threw sharp insults at the Rising Eagles, claiming, "They lack basketball IQ compared to their passion," and "At the end of the day, they are just a celebrity team." In response, head coach Seo Jang-hoon expressed his anger, saying, "That is complete nonsense," and the members declared they would face the challenge head-on, stating, "We will prove it with our skills on the court."
The grueling struggle of the Rising Eagles to prove their worth and the start of their journey toward the national throne will be revealed in the premiere of Rising Eagles Season 2 on Sunday, July 5 at 11:05 PM.
Reporter Kang Sun-ae sakang@sbs.co.kr
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.