Recently, the Chinese men's basketball team unexpectedly lost to the Macau Black Bears. Most of the players on the other side are amateur wild players, and they even have to be busy with their professional work on a daily basis. Such an opponent should not be on the same level, but the result was unexpected. One can't help but ask, are we underestimating the enemy, or is the opponent hiding his strength?
After the game, coach Guo Shiqiang quickly held a locker room meeting to analyze the cause of the defeat. However, several young players were unable to attend the meeting, including Lin Wei and Chan Kwok Ho, who were left behind for various reasons. Is this a punishment for them, or is there something else going on? Coach Guo pointed out that the team's basic skills are not solid, and the ability to shoot free throws and medium and long range is seriously insufficient, and the ability to shoot key balls is even more lacking. Problems are laid out one by one, but the solution seems to be far away.
In the following days, the dynamics of the Chinese men's basketball team frequently made headlines. Guo Shiqiang decided to make drastic changes to the upcoming warm-up tournament in Australia, with four young players being eliminated from the squad for various reasons. Lin Wei's attitude problems, Chen Guohao's injury and poor form have all become reasons for their abandonment. Such a choice is undoubtedly cruel, but perhaps necessary for a team that needs to make a name for itself on the international stage.
In addition, when the news came that Choi Yong-hee signed an Exhibit-10 contract with the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, it undoubtedly brought a glimmer of hope to the Chinese basketball community. Although this contract does not guarantee that Choi Yong-hee will eventually stay in the NBA, it at least opens a door for him. This is an affirmation of his personal efforts and a positive example of young Chinese players.
However, behind the good news is always accompanied by the heaviness of reality. Zeng Fanbo is a case in point, having been given a similar opportunity but was ultimately unable to stay in the NBA due to his poor performance. All this reminds us that opportunities are precious, but whether we can seize them depends on our personal efforts and fate.
As Yao Ming said, the problem of the Chinese men's basketball team is not only a problem of technology or one or a few people, but a systemic and structural problem. We may need more than just one or two people to change, but we need to make a deep innovation of the whole system. From youth training to professional leagues, from technology to psychology, every link cannot be let go.