The protagonist of this issue is
Wang Zhizhi
As the first Asian player to land in the NBA
It was he who smashed a hole in the "high wall" he had built
Only then did the latecomers see the light
Time back to September 2019, before the men's basketball World Cup qualifiers
Chinese men's basketball players at the 2008 Olympic Games gathered at the Wukesong Basketball Hall
When Yu Jia asked Wang Zhizhi what the deepest memories of the Beijing Olympics were
Only to see DaZhi smile and reply:
Actually, if only I had another chance
The ball that Sun Yue passed to me
I'm going to take a half-step back and shoot a three-pointer
Against Spain we still have a chance to win
As soon as the words stopped, the cheers of the arena immediately sounded
The fans seemed to be instantly back in time for the 2008 Olympic Games
What is in front of you is also the Chinese men's basketball team known as the 08 golden generation
At that time, if Wang Zhizhi stepped back a small step
Maybe Chinese basketball will take a big step forward
And Dazhi's career is also full of "regrets"
01
Help the Bayi team monopolize the league
Wang Zhizhi was born in 1977 in Beijing to a sports family
Both parents were former members of the Beijing basketball team
In 1991, the 15-year-old Wang Zhizhi had reached 2 meters 06 meters tall
Subsequently, he was sent by his parents to the Bayi team, which has more room for development
In 1994, Wang Zhizhi became the youngest national player in the history of the Chinese men's basketball team
Two years later, Dazhi was selected for the national team led by then-head coach Gong Luming
And accompanied the team to the Atlanta Olympic Games
In a warm-up match against the American Dream Team
He gave "Admiral" Robinson a big hat and stunned the world
When interviewing coach Gong Luming after the game, the reporter asked:
I heard that 8 American universities have already issued invitations to Wang Zhizhi
Gong Zhi even answered directly:
I reckon all universities in the U.S. want Wang
Unfortunately
Wang did not join the NCAA league
Instead, he chose to return to China to play for the Bayi team
Missed a path to a smooth landing in the NBA
02
The road to the NBA is fraught with difficulties
During the six consecutive championships of the Bayi team, Dazhi practiced a delicate technique
Gorgeous footsteps, accurate shots, and fake moves that are hard to tell the difference between true and false
It is the three major killing moves in Dazhi's career
In 1999, the NBA expanded its overseas market
Conditions for joining international players have been relaxed
That same year, the Dallas Mavericks selected Dazhi with the No. 36 pick
Whether it was the Basketball Association or the Bayi Team, they were reluctant to let Wang Zhizhi go
This also delayed Wang's NBA trip again and again
Until the 2000-2001 Season Finals
Dazhi averaged 27.5 points, 11 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2 blocks per game
Defeated the Shanghai team led by Yao Ming
The series also became the final showdown between the two
After helping bayi achieve the longest six consecutive championships in history
Wang Zhizhi joined the Mavericks as he wished
Became the first Asian player to land in the NBA
03
What is the truth of the "no return door" thing?
Even in his first season with the NBA
Dazhi has a large number of fans who support him
There are cuban owners who love international players and passing guru Nash
He even scored 6 points and 3 rebounds in his debut after only 8 minutes
(Asian player's first goal in the NBA)
But due to the lack of adaptation time to play in the United States
As well as the presence of a language barrier with teammates
Coupled with the fact that there are few opportunities to play
Daiichi's first season didn't quite fit in with the NBA rhythm
In order to be able to better adapt to NBA games
In the summer of 2002, Dazhi issued an application to the Basketball Association
Hope to participate in the summer league and then return to the national team report
Xin Lancheng, then chairman of the Basketball Association, also agreed to this request
And said it is best not to let the media know
But the media will not let go of any news about this proud son of China's heavens
The first is that agency's Beijing correspondent began to ask questions
Immediately after that, Wang Fei, then head coach of the Chinese men's basketball team, also said
Dazhi's failure to return to the team on time did affect the team's preparations
And american journalists even used the term defection to push Dazhi and the Basketball Association to the cusp of the storm
The Chinese team then lost to the South Korean team in the final of the Asian Games
The Basketball Association eventually decided to expel Wang Zhizhi to end the farce
This is the sensational "door of no return"
Dazhi also had a highlight in his subsequent NBA career
But unfortunately, Dazhi was blocked on the way home
04
The king returned and led the national team back to the top of Asia
In 2002, Dazhi used the Fort Worth Star Telegraph to signal reconciliation
"I really want to play for the Chinese team"
After the unremitting efforts of the Bayi team and Gong Luming's guidance
In 2006, Dazhi finally embarked on the road back to China
In 2011, in the absence of Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian
Led by the 33-year-old Wang Zhizhi to the Asian Games
Because just two years ago in the Asian Championships defeated Tianjin
This expedition to the Guangzhou Asian Games is even more intoreparable
In the semi-finals, face Iran, which just lost two years ago
Dazhi made a three-pointer at a crucial moment
Help the team turn the tables against the wind at the end of the game
Facing the South Korean team in the final, Dazhi tried his best
Again and again, he used his footsteps in the low position to kill the inside line of the Korean team
It should be known that at that time, there was still water in the knees of Dazhi
Even running a few steps requires adaptation
Especially after scoring 2+1 in the third quarter, he beat his chest and roared
I still feel my blood boiling when I look back
In the end, Dazhi scored a game-high 20 points and 4 rebounds
Help the Chinese team return to the top of Asia
At the awards ceremony after the game
The Chinese players left Dazhi alone on the podium
And hung 11 gold medals around his neck
Then the whole team bowed to him
Wang zhizhi then played in the 2012 London Olympic Games
There are also the Asian Championships in Wuhan and the Philippines
And in 2016, it was officially announced to be retired
At the retirement ceremony, Wang Zhizhi was witnessed by Yao Ming
Hand over the torch of Chinese basketball heritage to YiJian
The legend of the Chinese men's basketball generation has come to an end
Finally
Without this pioneer who landed in the NBA
Perhaps the whole of Asian basketball is still in the "closed door" stage
There would be no Battle single-handedly knocking O'Neal down
There will also be no Yao Ming's eating and sleeping to fight the demon beast
It was precisely because Wang Zhizhi had cut a hole in the wall of that year
Let the latecomers see the light
And the old wind-chasing teenagers have gone through half a life
He finally caught up with himself, who had high hopes
- END -
The next issue of the character story trailer: Yi Jianlian
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