NCAA stars have landed in Sono.

The Goyang Sono Skygunners played to a scoreless tie against the Taoyuan Pilots of Taiwan in an exhibition game at the Goyang Sono Arena Auxiliary Gymnasium on Monday. The game went through four quarters before the score was reset and the game went into a fifth quarter. The score at the end of the fourth quarter was 82-82.

D.J. Burns, Sono’s newest foreign player, is going through an adjustment period. He didn’t join the team until mid-September, 안전놀이터 so it’s hard to say that he’s at full strength yet.

“I’ve been running a lot to stay in shape,” Burns said, ”and weight control is a big priority. I’ve lost about four to five kilograms and I’m hoping to lose another eight to nine before the season starts.”

Having competed at the NCAA level until earlier this year, Burns is no stranger to the American spotlight. He made his presence felt in March Madness, including a big performance against prestigious Duke University.

After going undrafted in the NBA Draft, Burns turned his attention overseas and started his professional career in Sono. He recalls that SONO’s offer was the most appealing.

“I was looking at overseas league options, and after considering the offers that were out there, I thought Sono’s offer was the best and I thought Korea was the best place to start my career. I thought it was a good league, so I came here,” Burns said.

“He tells me to lose weight a lot (laughs), and he also emphasizes studying for the new league,” he says.

Burns’ fame was further realized when he was shadowed by NBA superstar Nikola Jokic. When asked about it, Burns smiled, saying it was a great memory.

“It was a really good memory,” Burns says. “It was just an honor and a great experience to have a guy who’s not very athletic, but he’s really good at basketball and has a lot of different skills and passing abilities,” he recalled.

The core of SONO’s backcourt this season is All-Star guards Lee Jung-hyun and Lee Jae-do. Burns also has high praise for their abilities, explaining that they have helped him adjust to the team.

“They’re really good players,” Burns said. Even our captain, Jung Hee-jae, has been talking a lot about the league, preparation, and how to be a professional, which is helpful.”

When asked about his goals for the season, Burns said he’s more concerned with getting as many wins as possible than personal goals. Burns has quickly integrated into the team, cheering on his teammates’ play.

“Offensively, I think my strengths are being a good scorer and passer and being a good teammate,” Burns said, ”I want to make people feel like they can’t play against me, and I want to have as many wins as possible while having fun and being happy.”