Incheon Korean Air picks Espejo in Korean Volleyball League draft

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Filipino volleyball superstar Marck Espejo is ready for another international stint after getting drafted by the Incheon Korean Air Jumbos for the upcoming 2023 Korean Volleyball League season.

Espejo’s name was announced after Mongolian sensation Eddie and Ryohei Iga of Japan who were drafted by the Daejeon Samsung and Suwon KEPCO, respectively.

The draft ceremony took place at the Jeju Sun Hotel in South Korea last April 27, 2023 hosted by the Korean Volleyball Federation (KOVO).

Espejo’s draft stock rose after leading the Cignal HD Spikers to an undefeated championship campaign during the recently concluded 2023 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference in the PHL.

The former Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) star had a terrific season for the HD Spikers and helped Cignal end their stint in a dominating fashion.

This is Espejo’s fifth overseas volleyball stint as an Asian import after rendering his services to Japan, Bahrain, and Thailand during the last five years.

Completing the top five lottery picks of the 2023 Korean Volleyball League draft were Batsukh Bayarsaikhan of Mongolia and Chinese Taipei’s Pei-Chang Tsai.

Espejo became the second Filipino that will see action in Korea after Petro Gazz’s star middle blocker MJ Phillips was also selected several weeks ago in the women’s division.

The towering Phillips got selected fifth overall by the Gwangju AI Peppers and will immediately suit up for the team once she receives her clearance from her mother team in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).

Phillips was the only Filipina pro player who got selected in the recently concluded draft with the likes of Jia Morado-De Guzman and Majoy Baron all failing to make the cut.

Aside from De Guzman and Baron, Mylene Paat, Dindin Santiago-Manabat, and Iris Tolenada also declared for the draft but also didn’t get their names called during the ceremony.