Korean basketball, built city by city.
The Korean Basketball Association of Americas, formerly KNABA, is a nonprofit dedicated to developing Korean basketball in the Western Hemisphere, currently spanning the United States and Canada. Home of the annual Korean National Tournament.
A platform for the game.
Our mission is to provide a platform where Koreans across North America can showcase their basketball skills and talents through competition.
That mission rests on three commitments, and every decision the association makes, from host city selection to division structure, comes back to them.
Build brotherhood
Give cities a place to meet, compete and network with players, staff and spectators from across North America.
Elevate competition
Establish opportunities for the top players of each city to play against other top players across the nation.
Develop youth
Create the necessary developmental programs and outreach to help build youth programs in every member city.
Where we’re going.
The KBAA hosts a tournament every June, where up to sixteen qualified teams compete over a single weekend in a rotating host city. What began as a regional gathering now stretches from Toronto to Orange County.
Looking ahead, we want the association recognized by the Korean Basketball League. We also want to support the players who are chasing professional opportunities of their own.
The legacy of John Han.
John Han was the primary driving force behind the founding of this organization. He coached Orange County to five consecutive championships in KNABA/KO, and he set the standard that member cities still measure themselves against.
In 2015, he died in a car accident while traveling to a Korean sports organizational meeting. The association he built has committed to continuing his vision, every tournament, every year.
Courtesy of the Han family
The board.
Volunteers from member cities across the U.S. and Canada who run the association year-round.
Staff
Myles Kim
Social Media and Content Intern
Bethesda, Maryland
John N. Lee
President
Dallas
Jae Hwang
Senior Vice President
Washington DC
Ben Im
Vice President
Dallas
Kevin Yoo
Treasurer
Chicago
Edward Kim
General Secretary
Dallas
Francis Kim
Information Technology
Toronto
Adam Chae
Tournament Coordinator
Chicago
Mark Lee
Public Relations & Marketing
New York
Richard Han
Director of Youth Programs
Michigan
Peter Jung
General Counsel
Kansas
Justin Yun
Team Development, West Coast
Orange County
Scott Kang
Team Development, East Coast
Atlanta