Jongkuch ‘JK’ Mach is 18 years old and stands 2.29 meters tall. He was born in Perth, Australia, and until he was 14, he only played soccer in the backyard with his six siblings. That year, he had a growth spurt to 1.93 meters, switched to basketball, and everything began to accelerate.
Today he trains in the elite program at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, under coach Robbie McKinlay, who also developed current NBA player Josh Giddey. Mach went from weighing 73 kilos to 91 through chicken, rice, chocolate shakes, and four gym sessions per week. He already has offers from LSU, Colorado, and Santa Clara universities.
His idol is Frenchman Victor Wembanyama, who is 2.24 meters tall and a Spurs star. McKinlay avoids exaggerated comparisons, but admits that NBA scouts are keeping a close eye on him. When asked where he sees himself in two years, Mach does not hesitate: ‘I want to be in San Antonio, playing alongside Victor Wembanyama’.
