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Mike Chan

Basketball icon Yao Ming has said China needs better coaches and a more developed competition structure, as the country endures a torrid time on the international scene.
Former NBA star Yao, president of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), said he believed there was no shortage of talent in a nation where basketball is the favourite sport among young people.
But he argued more needed to be done to unearth prospects who could be put on a pathway to the national team.
“I think we’re not bad at the basics, but we do lack a competition system,” the former Houston Rockets player said.


“Let’s say a child is playing in the village basketball league, can we discover him, find him, or at least know about him through our competition system?”
Speaking to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday, Yao also said that he believed his country needed to upgrade its youth coaching resources.
“The quality of coaching staff is what we need to focus on,” he said. “Do we have the right set of youth coaching staff, which can, in every age group, train our children according to the basketball knowledge they need?
“I firmly believe that with China’s population, we have a lot of basketball talent. But can we turn players from a potential stock into a talent that can finally be used? I think this requires a lot of effort on our part.”
Last week, Yao, who joined the Rockets via the 2002 NBA draft, introduced 18-year-old Yang Hansen to fellow Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, who was in Xiamen for the CBA All-Star Weekend.
The CBA filled only 900 seats on the first of the event’s two days at the 18,000-capacity Phoenix Hill Sports Park, with the official overall attendance of 15,000 falling about 6,000 below that of the previous edition.
Yang, the 7ft 1in (2.16-metre) centre from Qingdao Eagles, is widely tipped to be the next Chinese to play in the NBA, potentially through the 2025 or 2026 draft, following in the footsteps of the likes of Yao, Wang Zhizhi, Yi Jianlian and Zhou Qi.
Chinese basketball commentator Chen Zhenghao said Yang was the closest to having the ability to reach NBA standard among the current crop
“Yang has his weaknesses, but those will be vastly improved after he starts playing in the NBA,” Chen said. “His core strength and explosiveness may not be good now, but he’s still young, so the sky is the limit for him.
“I hope he can reach the NBA sooner rather than later, or at least train in the United States, because I think the training environment in China will affect his growth.”


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CBA (Chinese Basketball Association)

Yao Ming says China needs better basketball system and coaches to unearth country’s young talent

Yao Ming told state media it would take a big effort to upgrade the current system. Photo: Xinhua

Yao Ming vows to support China players after online abuse, despite calling them slackers after Asian Games failure

Chinese Basketball Association president Yao Ming watches the men’s Group B match between China and Chinese Taipei at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou. Photo: Xinhua

NBA ‘very well welcome in China’, Yao Ming says – and basketball legend gives Peng Shuai update

Chinese basketball legend turned association president Yao Ming has applauded the NBA’s management. Photo: Xinhua

Yao Ming watches China play in the men’s bronze medal game at the Asian Games this month. Photo: Xinhua

Russian basketball coach confident his team will face China in at least 2 matches in June despite international ban

(231006) -- HANGZHOU, Oct. 6, 2023 (Xinhua) -- Players of China celebrate during the Men’s Bronze Medal Game of Basketball between China and Chinese Taipei at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Oct. 6, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)

China’ basketball team celebrates during the bronze medal game against Chinese Taipei at the Asian Games in Hangzhou last October. Photo: Xinhua

Russian coach Zoran Lukic said he had a deal with his Chinese counterpart Aleksandar Djordjevic (above) for their teams to play each other in China in June. Photo: Xinhua

China lost to Japan for the first time in 88 years at the Fiba Asia Cup qualifier last Sunday. Photo: Fiba

Asian Games 2023: Yao Ming sorry for ‘cancelling’ China basketball press conference after semi-final loss to Philippines

Chinese Basketball Association president Yao Ming speaks during a press conference after the men’s national team lost their semi-final to the Philippines at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Photo: Xinhua

China head coach Aleksandar Djordjevic (left) and captain Zhao Jiwei initially returned to the athletes’ village following their loss. Photo: Xinhua

China’s players react after their men’s semi-final defeat by the Philippines. Photo: Xinhua

Sport

Basketball

China

Former NBA star says China has plenty of young players but needs higher-quality coaching for every age group
‘Let’s say a child is playing in the village basketball league, can we discover him … through our competition system?’ Yao says


Former NBA star says China has plenty of young players but needs higher-quality coaching for every age group, and a system through which bright prospects can be unearthed.


Yao Ming says China needs better basketball system and coaches to unearth country’s young talent

Former NBA star says China has plenty of young players but needs higher-quality coaching for every age group ‘Let’s say a child is playing in the village basketball league, can we discover him … through our competition system?’ Yao says

Former NBA star says China has plenty of young players but needs higher-quality coaching for every age group

‘Let’s say a child is playing in the village basketball league, can we discover him … through our competition system?’ Yao says