On August 28, a sad day that went down in basketball history, the men's basketball World Cup Chinese men's basketball team played against South Sudan. The match seemed to be favorable: the South Sudanese team were newcomers who, despite their height and athleticism, lacked the skills that experience brings. The stakes are high, and the Chinese team has a chance to win easily and draw with the Japanese team. But who on the pitch could have imagined what would happen?
The Chinese team showed hope, but only for a fleeting moment. A sudden and painful breakdown near the end of the third quarter meant a devastating 20-point loss. After another crushing defeat against Serbia, such a performance caused an outcry from fans. Losses are hard to swallow, but what about losses under such favorable conditions? This is an existential crisis for Chinese basketball.
Amid the uproar, Yunus reappeared as the team's "recommending officer". An unpaid but meaningful character. His reappearance brought about the revival of the "Nine Questions for the Soul" he once posed to the team:
Why do they get tired so quickly?
Why are they always hesitant and slow to act?
Why are they weak and unable to withstand stress?
Why can't Chinese players change bad habits?
Why hasn't the level of the CBA League improved?
Why never find the right player?
Why do players' criticism end up in the newspapers instead of being dealt with constructively?
Without Yao, why does the team lack confidence?
Why do players keep questioning the style of play?
Ten years have passed since Yunus first raised these issues, and their reaffirmation is now a painful reminder that they still exist. As a recommendation officer, Yunus revived these questions not as criticism, but as a sincere attempt at healing. Is Yao Ming listening? He should. Questions are not just questions; They are a diagnosis and may also be a prescription to turn things around.
Chinese basketball has been at a crossroads for too long, and the "Yunus Nine" is a clear signpost pointing to a problem that needs to be addressed. These are difficult but necessary. They face deep-seated problems that cannot be ignored if China aspires to become a basketball powerhouse. While it's easy to blame the players or adverse circumstances, these issues prompt us to look inward and look at the soul of Chinese basketball.
It is time for those in power to heed the wisdom contained in these nine questions. Yunus may no longer be head coach, but his enthusiasm for Chinese basketball and his willingness to hope for its success have not waned. Even if he doesn't get paid for his new position, his pay will be a revival of a team he cares deeply about.
If the Chinese men's basketball team wants to be reborn from the ashes, the starting point is to answer Younas's nine questions - honesty, introspection, and urgency. This is likely to be the lifeline that the sport needs in the country. Maybe, just maybe, in these answers, we will find the blueprint for a new era of Chinese basketball.
Yunus is ready to contribute his wisdom and experience. Are we ready to listen? Are we ready to act? The ball is on our pitch.
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