"Thank you for waiting so long"... Ketrzynski arrives at Incheon Airport 135 days after being drafted
Korean Air's new foreign attacker Ketrzynski arrived in South Korea on September 22, 135 days after being picked 3rd overall. He said, "I will show good things on the court."
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
"Thank you for waiting so long. Since I'm joining late, I will show good things on the court." That was the greeting new Korean Air Jumbos foreign attacker Ketrzynski sent to fans in the club's arrival announcement on September 23. It took more than four months after he was picked in the May draft for him to get to South Korea.
Ketrzynski arrives September 22, 135 days after draft
Sports Today reported that Korean Air announced on September 23 that Ketrzynski had entered South Korea the day before, on September 22, at Incheon International Airport. Counting from the May 10 draft date, it took 135 days for him to arrive. The announcement also included a plan for him to join the squad and begin full-scale training.
His official debut date has not been confirmed. Edaily also reported his arrival, but both reports are based on the same club announcement. The content matches, but they cannot be seen as two independent pieces of reporting.
3rd overall in the draft... picked after Russell and Hoki
| Pick | Player | Club | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Russell | OK Savings Bank | New pick |
| 2 | Felipe Hoki | Samsung Fire | New pick |
| 3 | Ketrzynski | Korean Air | New pick |
| 4 | Sharone Vernon-Evans | KEPCO | Re-signed |
| 5 | Rafael Araujo | Woori Card | Re-signed |
Yonhap News reported that Ketrzynski was picked by Korean Air in the 2026–2027 season men's foreign player draft with the 3rd overall pick. According to on-site reporting by Sports Times, the 4th and 5th picks were players re-signed by KEPCO and Woori Card. The order of picks 1 to 3 also matches Yonhap News's report.
This table shows only the order of selection, not performance or salary rankings. According to the Korea Volleyball Federation standard reported by CBS Nocut News, the salary for new foreign players in the men's division is $400,000. However, Ketrzynski's individual contract amount and term have not been confirmed in public sources.
207cm opposite and outside hitter, and how head coach Henan sees him being used
According to domestic reports, Ketrzynski's height is 207cm. However, the profiles from Volleyball World and his previous club AS Cannes list him at 208cm. He was introduced as an attacker who can play both opposite spiker and outside hitter. His registered name is 'Ketrzynski,' and his jersey number was reported as No. 8.
Star News reported on May 11 that head coach Henan Dal Zotto's expectations also lay in this versatility: use at both left and right attacking positions, plus contributions in serve receive and serving. An outside hitter is responsible for serve receive as well as attacking.
Qatar, Germany, France: pro career across 5 countries
Born in 2000, Ketrzynski is a 26-year-old Canadian player this year. At Ryerson University (now TMU), he recorded 727.5 points over two seasons, averaging 5.6 points per set. The university's athletics department announced on November 13, 2020 that Ketrzynski had signed his first professional contract with Al Sadd of Qatar.
He then went on to play for Kraljevo in Serbia, Aich/Dob in Austria, Lüneburg in Germany and AS Cannes in France, in that order. Since his first professional contract he has played in 5 countries' leagues, and the place he stayed longest was Lüneburg, where he spent three seasons. He has played for the Canadian senior national team since 2021. That same year he won a silver medal at the NORCECA Championship, and he competed for Canada at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the team finished 10th. South Korea is the sixth country he will play in as a professional.
Some domestic reports described him as the best scorer in the German league, but this could not be confirmed from official scoring tables. Head coach Henan's assessment right after the draft was brief: "He was the player we wanted most."
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is Ketrzynski's salary?
His individual contract amount has not been confirmed in public sources. Under the Korea Volleyball Federation standard reported by CBS Nocut News, the salary for new foreign players in the men's division is $400,000.
Q. When did Ketrzynski arrive, and when will he join training?
Ketrzynski arrived at Incheon International Airport on September 22, and the club announced it the next day, the 23rd. The announcement included a plan for him to train in earnest after joining the squad, but it has not been confirmed whether he has completed his first training session.
Q. When is Ketrzynski's debut game?
His official debut date has not been confirmed so far.
Related official sites
- Korean Air Jumbos official website — the official channel of Ketrzynski's club
- Korea Volleyball Federation official website — the official channel of the federation that runs the V-League
- Volleyball Canada official website — the official channel of the association for the Canadian national team Ketrzynski plays for
Representative image · Archival photo · Not an on-site photo of a current game in the article · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Sgroey), CC BY-SA 4.0
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