Zach Eddie (Zhou Zhihao), a Chinese-American mixed-race player, was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies with the 9th pick in the first round of the NBA Draft. Many domestic fans wonder why he doesn't play for the Chinese men's basketball team.
A recent interview with Chinese sports journalist Lisa Hsu reveals why. Zhou Zhihao's maternal grandparents are both from Guangdong, immigrated to Canada before the founding of the People's Republic of China, and made a living by opening Chinese restaurants.
They have little to no domestic life at home, and they do not provide patriotic education to their children and grandchildren.
Although Zhou Zhihao can speak a few words of Cantonese, he lacks knowledge of the motherland.
In contrast, the Li Kaier family from Guangdong has done a better job and valued identity, which is a stark contrast.
Zhou Zhihao is a young player known as "Little Yao Ming of Chinese America" who has shown extraordinary strength in the NCAA arena.
During his time with the Purdue basketball team, he not only helped the team reach the NCAA Championship Finals for the first time in half a century, but also scored 37 points and 10 rebounds in the finals, becoming the absolute core of the team.
Throughout the tournament, he averaged 29.5 points and 14.5 rebounds per game and was named to the All-NBA team. Such performances have shown his immense potential and talent.
is such a high-profile Chinese player, but he did not choose to play on behalf of the Chinese men's basketball team.
The reason behind this has gradually surfaced as the media has dug deeper and reported on it.
Zhou's maternal grandparents are from Guangdong, China, who immigrated to Canada before the founding of the People's Republic of China, where they opened a Chinese restaurant to make a living.
Due to historical reasons and the influence of the family environment, Zhou Zhihao's maternal grandparents rarely mentioned the life and situation in China at home, and did not give their children and grandchildren too much patriotic education.
As a result, Zhou Zhihao's sense of identity and belonging to China is relatively weak, and he considers himself more of a Canadian. This is not to say that Zhou Zhihao is ignorant or indifferent to his Chinese identity.
He also said in an interview that he knew that his maternal grandparents were from Guangdong, China, and could speak a few words of Cantonese.
Due to the influence of his family environment and the lack of relevant educational guidance, he did not form a strong sense of Chinese identity and belonging.
This is perhaps one of the reasons why he ended up choosing Canada when choosing which country to play for.
In stark contrast to Zhou's situation is another Chinese player, Kyle Anderson.
Lee's family also immigrated to the United States a long time ago, but their education was different.
Although Li Kaier's family did not do much patriotic education, they let their children know that their roots are in Guangdong, China.
This sense of identity and belonging made Li Kaier finally decide to play for the Chinese men's basketball team when faced with a choice.
His story shows the demeanor and strength of Chinese players on the international stage, and also shows the importance and impact of identity and belonging on a person.
Returning to Zhou Zhihao's situation, although it is regrettable that he did not choose to play for the Chinese men's basketball team, we should also respect his choice and personal wishes.
After all, everyone has their own sources of identity and belonging, and these sources are often closely related to factors such as family background and upbringing.
It is not incomprehensible for Zhou Zhihao that he sees himself more as a Canadian.
Zhou Zhihao has officially become a member of the Memphis Grizzlies and has joined forces with Morant, the team's core player, to form a new core lineup.
His arrival provides a strong guarantee for the Grizzlies' interior line, and also makes people look forward to the future of this team.
It is expected that Zhou Zhihao can show more outstanding state and strength in the NBA arena and win glory for Chinese players.
We also hope that more Chinese players can show their style and strength in the international arena and contribute to the development of China's basketball industry.
For immigrant families, we can't expect too much patriotic education from them, but we should let them know where their roots are.
This sense of identity and belonging is a person's spiritual pillar and source of strength, as well as an important source of cohesion and centripetal force for a country and a nation.
We want every immigrant family to be able to let their children know where their roots are, so that they can make more informed and correct decisions when faced with their choices.
With Zhou's stellar performance in the NBA Draft and his decision to represent the Canadian men's basketball team instead of the Chinese men's basketball team being made public, public opinion on the matter has also diversified.
Some fans and spectators expressed their understanding and respect for Zhou Zhihao's choice.
believes that everyone has the right to choose their own identity and sense of belonging, and Zhou Zhihao grew up in Canada and received Canadian education and cultural influence, so it is completely understandable that he chose to represent the Canadian men's basketball team.
They are also proud of Chow's achievements in the NBA and look forward to his even better performances in the future.
There are also some people who are critical of Zhou Zhihao's choice. It is a pity that although Zhou Zhihao has Chinese ancestry, he has not been able to play on behalf of the Chinese men's basketball team.
They hope that more Chinese players can contribute to the cause of Chinese basketball and enhance the status of Chinese basketball in the world. For this part of the population, Zhou Zhihao's choice seems to be a "betrayal", leaving them disappointed and dissatisfied.
More people are choosing to look at it with an open and inclusive mind. It is believed that sports have no borders and that the choice of players should be respected.
No matter which country you represent, as long as you can show your strength and style on the field, it is commendable.
They also hope that Chinese basketball can strengthen exchanges and cooperation with international basketball, attract more outstanding players to join the Chinese men's basketball team, and jointly promote the development of China's basketball industry.
Zhou Zhihao's choice has sparked widespread discussion and attention.
Different people have different opinions and perspectives, but in any case, we should respect everyone's choice and look at this matter with an open and inclusive mind.
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