# Chinese Basketball Association



## Gardan (Jan 7, 2004)

Some questions about CBL

-Arenas
-Attendances of public
-Television audiences
-Players
-Is growing in incomes because of recent popularity of basketball in China thanks to Yao and Ji and the economic growht of PR China?
-Is growing in player's level?

I'd be glad to read about situation of CBL and basketball in China.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

*Re: Chinese Basketball League*

I can answer a few of those questions, but not as many as I wish I could: it's not easy to get a lot of info on the CBA (it's not the CBL, by the way)--especially when a person doesn't read Chinese. But regarding the talent, it's pretty bad. Nigel Dixon, a 6-10, always overweight center who had a relatively undistinguished college career at Florida State and Western Kentucky, led the league in scoring at 28 ppg and was third at 13 rpg. Anthony Myles, who was a 6'9" 10-and-8 kind of guy in two seasons at Xavier, averaged 26 ppg. Fringe NBA/journeymen like Olumide Oyediji and Soumaila Samake are dominant rebounders and shot-blockers (15+ and 2+).


The teams are, however, extremely young. Average ages for rosters range in the 20-22 area. This is obviously due to the recent push by the Chinese government to develop their basketball program over the past decade or so, intended to help them medal in the Olympics. However, in my opinion they have failed miserably by refusing to export more players into competitive leagues, or at least to import more talented players into their own league. As for arenas, I've struggled to find info. But a 2005 USA Today story lists Mengzi's arena as a capacity of 5,50-0, and being often half-full. The salary for its star import at the time--high school-to(would-be)-NBA DeAngelo Collins--made $15,000.


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## Porn Player (Apr 24, 2003)

*Re: Chinese Basketball League*

I know this isn't what you asked for but these are some cool stats :biggrin:



> Game
> points: 70, Sun Jun, 2000–2001, Jilin Northeast Tigers vs Jinan Army
> three points: 14, Zhang Jingdong, 1999–2000
> rebounds: 38, Garth Joseph, 2001–2002
> ...


I think it is safe to say, Yao tore that league up :biggrin:


I changed the thread title to CBA because the CBL is actually the second tier division. Luther I sorted out that paragraph change for you :biggrin:


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## Porn Player (Apr 24, 2003)

Pretty cool article I just found that shows the demand for basketball has indeed increased in China and that demand is so great they are doing things to please it..



> *Euroleague Basketball and the Chinese Basketball Association reach partnership agreement *
> 
> *Zug, Switzerland, 11 December 2006* – In another example of the growing demand for basketball across the globe, Euroleague Basketball, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the international sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media have reached a partnership agreement to bring the best of European professional basketball to fans in Asia. The agreement calls for games, clinics and several other exchanges between the parties, to be highlighted by the first Euroleague Basketball / Team China Tournament, between a Euroleague Basketball team and the Chinese National Basketball Team, in October 2007.
> 
> ...


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## Porn Player (Apr 24, 2003)

Here is the team that is going to Bejing to represent China. 

China Mens Olympic Basketball Team 2008

CHEN Jianghua 
DING Jinhui 
DU Feng 
LI Nan 
LI Xiaoxu 
LIU Wei 
LIU Xiaoyu 
Sun Yue 
WANG Lei 
WANG Shipeng 
WANG Zhizhi 
XU Yong 
Yao Ming 
YI Jianlian 
ZHANG Kai 
ZHANG Qingpeng 
ZHOU Peng 
ZHU Fangyu 

China Mens Basketball Team Coaches

KAZLAUSKAS Jonas


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Can't say I'm an expert, but will try to answer some questions:
- league games are regularly shown in China during the season
- With the departure of Yi, the best players in the league are probably Wang Zhizhi, Zhu Fangyu, Wang Shipeng, and Li Nan. 
- 19 year old point guard Chen Jianghua remains the most intriguing talent in terms of prospects are concerned, but he's still faaaar from being a NBA calibre player. He's even struggling to find time on the National team that's known for being weak on the guard spot.
- The popularity of basketball is definitely on a rise in China. Aside from Yao and Yi, NBA stars like LeBron and T-Mac have made regular off-season visits in China to promote their respective shoe brands. Not surprisingly, Basketball tickets are the hottest grab of all the sports for the upcoming Olympics
- Sadly, I have no noticed any breakthrough in terms of talent development... I honestly can not forsee another Chinese player in the NBA after Yi for quite some time


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Yao Mania said:


> - With the departure of Yi, the best players in the league are probably Wang Zhizhi, Zhu Fangyu, Wang Shipeng, and Li Nan.
> - 19 year old point guard Chen Jianghua remains the most intriguing talent in terms of prospects are concerned, but he's still faaaar from being a NBA calibre player. He's even struggling to find time on the National team that's known for being weak on the guard spot.



I'd correct the first statement left in the quote above by saying the best _Chinese_ players in the league are those guys (along with Tang Zhengdong, Mo Ke, Sun Yue and Liu Wei). But even what we'd consider third-rung pros here are absolutely dominant there. 

I've seen Chen play a couple of times, both in the Hoop Summit and in some other international youth competition. He always looks absolutely out of control to me. He clearly grew up watching American basketball ... of the Jason Williams/And1 variety. But he's nowhere near good enough to pull that style off when he's against decent players. I'd be absolutely shocked if he ever makes the NBA.


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## Gardan (Jan 7, 2004)

Yao Mania said:


> Can't say I'm an expert, but will try to answer some questions:
> - league games are regularly shown in China during the season
> - With the departure of Yi, the best players in the league are probably Wang Zhizhi, Zhu Fangyu, Wang Shipeng, and Li Nan.
> - 19 year old point guard Chen Jianghua remains the most intriguing talent in terms of prospects are concerned, but he's still faaaar from being a NBA calibre player. He's even struggling to find time on the National team that's known for being weak on the guard spot.
> ...


Is becoming more talented in American players? I've seen Gabe Muoneke have played two years ago in CBA, Muoneke is a good rotation player in ACB champions.

And do you think CBA (not Chinese Basketball indeed im saying the League) is growing in talent and keep growing in the future? As a far I know i think this league is growing a lot in income so...

Which one will be a comparable european league in talent?


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## Gardan (Jan 7, 2004)

Porn_Player said:


> Here is the team that is going to Bejing to represent China.
> 
> China Mens Olympic Basketball Team 2008
> 
> ...



And Bateer?


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## Porn Player (Apr 24, 2003)

Gardan said:


> And Bateer?


From what I understand he hasn't made the roster so definately will NOT be participating this summer. He could have even retired.

Here is another article I have found about the national team and it's preparations...



> *CHN – Harris likes what he sees in Kazlauskas’ China
> BEIJING (Olympics) -* Former China coach Del Harris has sounded an optimistic note for the Olympic hosts ahead of the Beijing Games by saying Jonas Kazlauskas has turned the national side into a more competitive group than the one that reached the quarter-finals in Athens four years ago.
> 
> Harris and Kazlauskas teamed up to make the Chinese one of the surprise teams in Greece, when they beat Serbia & Montenegro in the last preliminary round game to reach the quarter-finals.
> ...


Sounds like things are going well.


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Gardan said:


> Which one will be a comparable european league in talent?


A bad one. I doubt you'd find 10-15 guys in the entire CBA who would be top 8 rotation players on Euroleague-level teams. Most of their import "stars" aren't even legit Euroleague level players, much less most of their national guys. However, they are definitely getting better. So, which country's league? Probably one of those countries whose national team doesn't qualify for the Euro championships. It's definitely worse than not just the top leagues--Spain, Italy, Greece, Russia, etc.--but the next group, such as Germany, France, Adriatic, etc. It seems crazy considering their potential talent base, but it's probably closer to Scandinavian leagues, Dutch league, etc.


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## Porn Player (Apr 24, 2003)

There is alot of comparisons with the British Basketball League IMO... We are steadily improving and our NT has a few bonfide superstars (Deng, Gordon) along with some nice overseas players (Archiblad, Mensah-Bonsu) .. Our national level also has a few talented homegrown guys like Richard Midgely playing for Everton Tigers and really doing well. 

Things are looking up for British basketball and I can't help but feel the same about the Chinese. (Although I do believe your national team would DESTROY ours at this time :biggrin


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Porn_Player said:


> There is alot of comparisons with the British Basketball League IMO... We are steadily improving and our NT has a few bonfide superstars (Deng, Gordon) along with some nice overseas players (Archiblad, Mensah-Bonsu) .. Our national level also has a few talented homegrown guys like Richard Midgely playing for Everton Tigers and really doing well.
> 
> Things are looking up for British basketball and I can't help but feel the same about the Chinese. (Although I do believe your national team would DESTROY ours at this time :biggrin


That's a good analogy in that the best players are really good, but there is a HUGE disparity between the best players and even the "best of the rest." The top couple guys are just not even close to the other national team players, much less the typical, good players on domestic-league teams. China has the advantage, though, of more than a billion people to choose from. I think the recent improvements in the British team are related to those in China's team, in that both wanted to put resources into basketball before getting the Olympic games. We'll see how Britain does, because as I said, I think China made a lot of mistakes.


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## Gardan (Jan 7, 2004)

Could be used this post for following CBA? I'm really interested in these leagues, also in KBL who have signed some good americans that have played in Europe like Lou Roe


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## Porn Player (Apr 24, 2003)

Yeah man, I will keep an eye on the CBA and use this thread to update with any goings on aslong as you stay around!...


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## luther (Nov 2, 2007)

Hasn't their season ended? I think it may be a while till there are updates.


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## Porn Player (Apr 24, 2003)

Ye it has ended but there will surely be info and whatnot leading up to the new campaign, also some team China updates can be done in here seen as though they have a fanbase within this site :biggrin:


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