"Source of this article: Beijing Youth Daily official website"
Reporter Ji Mengnian reports
2019 is coming to an end. Looking back on this year’s basketball in China, what major events are you absolutely unable to ignore? As we bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new, let’s review the memory of basketball in China this year.
1. The men’s basketball team missed the Olympic Games
The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games men’s basketball team lost the Olympic Games in June this year, and the China men’s basketball team was in the same division as Canadian and Greek teams. Because the strength gap with the opponent is too big, the China men’s basketball team ended its unsuccessful journey with a total defeat, and completely missed the Tokyo Olympic Games. Since the China sports delegation returned to the Olympic family in 1984, it was the first time that the China men’s basketball team missed the Olympic Games.
2. Women’s Three-Basket Olympics bronze picking
In this summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games, China’s three-person women’s basketball team will reach the semi-finals. Although it failed to reach the final, it still won a precious bronze medal. After a lapse of 29 years, China basketball once again set foot on the podium of the Olympic Games.
It is worth mentioning that the China five-person women’s basketball team also performed well in the Tokyo Olympic Games, winning three games in the group stage and finally winning the fifth place in the Olympic Games, creating the best result since the Beijing Olympic Games.
3. Guangdong 11 crown success
In the 2021 CBA Finals, Guangdong defeated its old rival Liaoning with a total score of 2-1, and won the CBA championship trophy for the 11th time. In the past three years, they have completed a wave of three consecutive championships. But this time, it was the most difficult championship in the history of Guangdong team, and perhaps the most unforgettable one, after Yi Jianlian’s season reimbursement, Ma Shang Brooks’ injury and so on.
4. Liaoning defended the National Games champion.
Liaoning defeated Guangdong in the final of U22 Group of the National Games men’s basketball team, and finished defending the national games men’s basketball championship. In the semi-final, they defeated Zhejiang, and in the final, they reversed Guangdong after once falling behind. Qi zhou and Guo Ailun, who returned to Liaoning, formed an inside and outside partner, especially the latter contributed 64 points in the semi-finals and finals.
5. Zheng Haixia was elected to FIBA Hall of Fame.
In April this year, FIBA officially announced the new Hall of Fame shortlist, including China player Zheng Haixia. As the first China player to be elected to FIBA Hall of Fame, Zheng Haixia is an absolute feat in the history of basketball in China. She once helped the China women’s basketball team win the Olympic silver medal and the World Cup silver medal. At the same time, Zheng Haixia was the first China athlete to land in the WNBA.
6. Sun Yue retired
After the end of the 2020-21 season, Beijing-based player Sun Yue decided to say goodbye to professional basketball. During his basketball career, Sun Yue once left his mark in NBA and won the championship in CBA. In addition, Sun Yue also participated in the Olympic Games, World Championships, Asian Games and other events with the national team. However, Sun Yue has been suffering from injuries for the past two seasons and had to choose to leave the field. After Sun Yue retired, Yi Jianlian was the only one left in the golden generation of China Men’s Basketball Team in 2008.
7. Yi Jianlian Ding Yanyuhang returns
In the 2021-22 season, Yi Jianlian finally returned after 427 days’ absence, and Ding Yanyuhang returned to the CBA after more than 1,000 days’ absence. The return of superstars is the theme of CBA this season. Although Yi Jianlian and Ding Yanyuhang are not particularly stable after their comeback, they are still trying to make adjustments. It is worth mentioning that Jeremy Lin also returned to CBA this season, and his goal is to lead the Beijing team to win the championship this season.
8. qi zhou and Zeng Fanbo started the road of studying abroad.
In the summer of 2021, studying abroad once again became a hot word in CBA. Qi zhou and Liu Chuanxing did not reach an agreement with their old clubs because of their respective contract problems, so they chose to play in the Australian League. Qi zhou joined Phoenix in Southeast Melbourne, while Liu Chuanxing went to Brisbane for bullets. Zhou Qi has now secured the position of the team’s starting inside, and Liu Chuanxing is still in the process of adaptation.
On the other hand, teenager Zeng Fanbo also chose to go to the United States to play for the Igniting Team of the Development League and prepare for the 2022 NBA Draft. It is widely believed that Zeng Fanbo will be the next China player to land in the NBA, but at present, he needs more experience.
9. Ningbo Fubon returns to CBA.
As Bayi team withdrew from CBA league last season, only 19 teams participated in CBA in 2020-21 season. However, this situation did not happen again on the opening day of the 2021-22 season. Ningbo Fubon returned to CBA, and the alliance map returned to integrity again. However, after Fubon’s return, its overall strength was relatively weak, and it only won one game by the end of the year.
10.WCBA footstep scandal
Affected by the epidemic, the WCBA league schedule has been greatly reduced, and the attention is not high. However, in the previous confrontation between the Major Sports Association United and the Jiangsu team, Gu Yitong of the Major Sports Association United set foot on Jiangsu player Sun Li, but instead detonated social media. Later, the WCBA officials punished Gu Yitong and the Major Sports Association United, but this incident still exposed the absurdity and unprofessionalism of the WCBA League, which made people worry about the future development of China women’s basketball team.