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  • Wcba

    Interesting read on how the WCBA is starting to lure more and more top players to come play in China.

    16/10/2012

    The Far East Movement

    NEWCASTLE (Paul Nilsen's Women's Basketball Worldwide) - A decade after inception, it appears the momentum of global talent gravitating towards the WCBA shows few signs of slowing down, or at least in terms of quality and diversity.

    Traditionally the league has always attracted a carefully controlled share of 'foreign players', perhaps rather inevitably, almost exclusively American.

    Headline names to have trodden the boards in the Chinese league are Ebony Hoffman and Swin Cash with a host of others such as Ruth Riley, Kara Braxton and Nicky Anosike for example - the list is actually relatively long now. There is also an American coach in the form of Bo Overton.

    This trend shows little sign of slowing down with the stellar talented Maya Moore having penned a deal during the summer to play in China during the WNBA off-season, along with Australian Olympic sensation Elizabeth Cambage.

    Then, only just last weekend, Belarus national team centre Yelena Leuchanka also opted to head to the WCBA too. Maybe something which both signals a potential shift in the widening appeal of women's basketball in China to those who don't hail from the USA and the willingness of the Chinese to look more broadly at who is available in the marketplace.

    Throw in the fact that Spanish National Team coach and EuroLeague Women title winner Lucas Mondelo is also set to call the plays from the sidelines in China, and it would appear the WCBA is possibly becoming a stronger magnet for not only players, but also coaches.

    Cynics are quick to question the motives of those heading to China. I am no expert, but I am guessing huge salaries in a handful of instances are the primary driver. Although I am also sure many involved so have a genuine thirst to experience a potential sensory overload off the court, and experience exciting new culture. Indeed several of the players who already have, or will soon play in China, have also played in the WKBL in Korea.

    In terms of professional women's basketball in China generally, they continue to manage the same kind of delicate balance which many leagues (both men's and women's) have grappled with down the years. How do you raise the standard of the league both on the court and also as a product?

    It's a tough one since too many import players can be damaging, and arguably, not enough import players can also be damaging. There are those who will also say that too much money is being squandered on a tiny number of elite level (and foreign) players and coaches.

    But, to get a Liz Cambage, Maya Moore or Lucas Mondelo to turn down a competition like EuroLeague Women and play in a domestic league which whilst competitive, is simply not up to WNBA or continent-wide EuroLeague Women standard, you simply have to pay big bucks. There are some excellent homegrown players in the WCBA, but it will not prove anywhere near the same type of challenge.

    I guess it's similar to what China is experiencing with men's soccer right now. If the money is there to pay big salaries, then they most probably will. The vital dimension is that China still has its' own stars to celebrate and plaster across advertising billboards right across the nation.

    In terms of women's basketball, this stands up to scrutiny with MVP Lijie Miao continuing to be the 'Queen of the WCBA,' although the big question is whether her crown will continue to be taken by a Chinese player in future years?

    For those 'foreigners' who head to China and turn down EuroLeague Women for example, some will say they are taking the money over the professional challenge. An easy thing to say when you are not the one having to refuse a lucrative contract I guess.

    Which brings us to whether China can (and will) truly make inroads in luring more and more EuroLeague Women participants to their league. If (and it is a big if) the Chinese decide to open the floodgates and facilitate the playing of more and more import players, I wonder if, over the medium to long-term, there is any chance of EuroLeague Women suffering as a result.

    I doubt it. It's probably wrong to compare a domestic league with a competition drawing clubs from across an entire continent, but in reality, both are competitors for the best players when the WNBA is not in season.

    I am sure many of you will join me in watching how the next decade of the WCBA unfolds. It will be really, really intriguing to see what course women's basketball in China takes when it comes to 'foreign talent'.

    It will also be important to get some feedback from those coaches and players who are about to, or have already tasted life in the WCBA.

    I feel a research project coming on!

    Paul Nilsen

    FIBA

  • #2
    It's complete nonsense mentioning Chinese women's basketball and Chinese men's soccer in the same sentence. One finished in the upper half of the Olympic campaign. One cannot qualify to the Olympics held outside of Asia ever and cannot do jack when they finally "qualified" as host. This is like comparing KG to Kwame Brown, just because they are both black and tall.

    The author also forgot to mention Tamika Catchings and Sophia Young who will also play in China this year. Add Maya Moore and others and he's right, it's the first time the league has so many big names. (Although Yoland Griffith played in China some years ago.) However, while there are rich WCBA clubs (basically meaning a rich basketball-fanatic owner) most WCBA clubs struggle just like women's bball in the rest of the world. Henan tried 2 American imports last year and both were inferior to Chinese players, so they used no imports at the end. Sometimes the tickets are free and still nobody shows up. And the drop-out rate of domestic players is stunning. The last cut from this year's Olympic squad, Yang Banban, has just decided to retire at the listed age of 23 to pursue other interests, despite having no known injuries.

    As with other years, the league can still attract a couple players from the rest of Asia, this season will see washed-up former Korean superstars Jung Sun-min (who made the WNBA) and Kim Yeong-ok (there will be a 3rd Korean player most likely), as well as Chinese Taipei NT's starter Ma Yi-hung. Though I don't think Japan's bald lady Sachiko Ishikawa will play her 3rd season in WCBA considering recent relations. Anyway, the truth remains that Chinese players in WCBA make less than their Korean and Japanese counterparts, explaining why the league can't hardly attract any Korean/Japanese player. (Both Korean grandmas, Jung and Kim, were born in 1974 and were already officially retired in Korea.)
    Last edited by sinobball; 10-19-2012, 06:17 AM.
    aim low, score high

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    • #3
      Originally posted by sinobball View Post
      this season will see washed-up former Korean superstars Jung Sun-min (who made the WNBA) and Kim Yeong-ok (there will be a 3rd Korean player most likely)
      Turns out there was indeed a 3rd Korean player - a North Korean. (The DPRK men's team, I still remember at least played in 2010 Asian Games. Cannot remember any DPRK women's team playing anywhere.) Which would make the WCBA probably the only basketball league in the world to feature a North Korean player, since I highly doubt any North Korean plays in South Korea unless they have defected. Except this lady named Kim Hyang sucked, after 2 games and 0 points for the worst team in the league, she was released and went back home. Meanwhile the pair of 39-year-old South Koreans grandmas are starters and will match up in the semifinals.


      The semifinals will also feature rookie phenom Li Meng, who turned 18 this month. A former junior world MVP who tore both ACLs and almost gave up basketball, her rise generated enough talk for her to be voted to start at the ASG where she also won the skills challenge. Fans have made a video based on clips from 2 games for her birthday.


      You see that the attendance, at least for her team, isn't that bad, probably in the thousands. But that is because her team features some of the most popular players in Miao Lijie and Zhao Shuang (and now her). Most other teams probably can't have 1000 fans. Shanghai, like their men's team, has the worst attendance, sometimes even less spectators than players, even though their players play very hard with a winning record. The team is hoping that Yao Ming will buy the team (especially since Mrs. Yao aka Ye Li was a former player, and the coach was Yao Ming's good friend and former teammate/roommate) to alleviate the financial burden, but alas, Yao Ming being as stingy as people in Shanghai is unlikely to make such a bad investment.
      aim low, score high

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      • #4
        Third consecutive WCBA championship for Maya Moore and Shanxi as they Beijing lead by Brittney Griner.
        Sacramento Kings
        HERE WE STAY UNTIL THE COWBELLS COME HOME

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        • #5
          Maya Moore back in Shanxi, she is already with the team, waiting for the debut in the season
          https://twitter.com/MicaHack

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          • #6
            Bayi win Shanxi, and Maya played bad(0-9 3s)..
            792_1674617_669795.jpg
            https://twitter.com/MicaHack

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            • #7
              Not only guys love to fight in China
              https://twitter.com/MicaHack

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              • #8
                Maya is gaining good form, 55 points against 65 of the total points of all Liaoning.
                https://twitter.com/MicaHack

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                • #9
                  2016 China Women's FIBA OQT Roster Announced:

                  Shao Ting - Beijing
                  Gao Song - Beijing
                  Wu Di - Tianjin
                  Zhao Zhifang - Tianjin
                  Cheng Feng - Lioaning
                  Yang Liwei - Guangdong
                  Huang Sijing - Guangdong
                  Chen Xiaojia - Jiangsu
                  Huang Hongpin - Shanxi
                  Ma Xueya - Shanxi
                  Qiu Siyue - Xinjiang
                  Chen Nan - Bayi
                  Lu Wen - Bayi
                  Sun Mengran - Bayi
                  Sun Mengxin - Bayi
                  Li Meng - Shen Group
                  Sacramento Kings
                  HERE WE STAY UNTIL THE COWBELLS COME HOME

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                  • #10
                    Slightly off-topic but great read about Chen Yue, who is making a name for herself in her journey towards that WNBA dream.
                    Les Carpenter: A chance meeting in Beijing set Chen Yue’s life on a course that would see her become the first Chinese woman to play college basketball in the US
                    Sacramento Kings
                    HERE WE STAY UNTIL THE COWBELLS COME HOME

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                    • #11
                      China Women's NT FIBA WOQT
                      Huang Xijing
                      Sun Mengxin
                      Chen Xiaojia
                      Sun Menran
                      Shao Ting
                      Lu Wen
                      Wu Di
                      Gao Song
                      Zhao Zhifang
                      Huang Hongpin
                      Li Shanshan
                      He Chen Nan
                      Sacramento Kings
                      HERE WE STAY UNTIL THE COWBELLS COME HOME

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                      • #12
                        China Women's NT for Rio 2016: Chen Xiaojia, Li Shanshan, Lu Wen, Sun Mengran, Shao Ting, Sun Mengxin, Gao Song, Huang Sijing, Chen Nan, Huang Hongpin, Wu Di, Zhao Zhifang
                        Sacramento Kings
                        HERE WE STAY UNTIL THE COWBELLS COME HOME

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                        • #13
                          Xu Limin was appointed head coach of the women's NT. With Yao Ming's election as CBA chairman, he has changed the system of electing players to the WNT as athletes are invited to participate -- compared to the compulsory enlistment practiced since the 1980s.

                          China Women's NT 2017 Roster

                          Zhang Liting
                          Sun Mengran
                          Lu Wen
                          Shao Ting
                          Gao Song
                          Shi Xuefeng
                          Huang Hongxian
                          Li Yueru
                          Huang Sijing
                          Yang Liwei
                          Chen Xiaojia
                          Li Meng
                          Zhao Shuang

                          This team is younger compared to the Olympic team in Rio. Big prospect in this batch that stands out is Li Yueru, the 200cm 18yo star of last year's U18 team.
                          Sacramento Kings
                          HERE WE STAY UNTIL THE COWBELLS COME HOME

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by CKR13 View Post
                            Xu Limin was appointed head coach of the women's NT. With Yao Ming's election as CBA chairman, he has changed the system of electing players to the WNT as athletes are invited to participate -- compared to the compulsory enlistment practiced since the 1980s.

                            China Women's NT 2017 Roster

                            Zhang Liting
                            Sun Mengran
                            Lu Wen
                            Shao Ting
                            Gao Song
                            Shi Xuefeng
                            Huang Hongxian
                            Li Yueru
                            Huang Sijing
                            Yang Liwei
                            Chen Xiaojia
                            Li Meng
                            Zhao Shuang

                            This team is younger compared to the Olympic team in Rio. Big prospect in this batch that stands out is Li Yueru, the 200cm 18yo star of last year's U18 team.
                            I don't think this team is any younger. Zhao Shuang (1990) and Li Meng (1995) (replacing Rio players Sun Mengxin (1993) and Zhao Zhifang (1994)) played in the Asian Championships back in 2013. Shi Xiufeng (1987) is the same age as Rio player Li Shanshan (1987). If anything the team's even older. Shen Yi (1993) and Zhang Liting (1994) were in the training camp many years ago as well, and are not that good. (Shen may make it as the 3rd string PG, Zhang has almost 0 chance.) Only player that's really new is Li Yueru, and she isn't going to play in FIBA Asia. (FIBA U19 Worlds takes place during the same month.) Not great outlook for Chinese women basketball, but the team should be enough to finish in the top 3 with Australia and Japan. The player to really watch is PF Huang Sijing (1996), I think it's time she begins to show some dominance.
                            aim low, score high

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