In the Chinese basketball world, many players have risen to prominence due to their excellent family backgrounds or strong relationships. For most CBA players, family background plays a significant role in their careers, and Zhang Zhenlin is one of the most notable examples. His basketball family background gave him an edge at the beginning of his career. However, his career path has not been easy, full of challenges and twists and turns.
Zhang Zhenlin's family background
Zhang's family background is undoubtedly one of the highlights of his basketball career. First of all, let's learn about Zhang Zhenlin's kinship:
- Mother Wang Fang: Zhang Zhenlin's mother, Wang Fang, was an outstanding player in the Chinese women's basketball team. She played for the national team in the golden era of the Chinese women's basketball team and helped the Chinese women's basketball team win the Olympic silver medal, which is still the best result of the Chinese women's basketball team. After her basketball career, she became the head coach of the Liaoning women's basketball team, responsible for developing young basketball players. Later, she was promoted to deputy director and later director of the Liaoning Provincial Basketball Sports Management Center. Not only that, she also served as the executive director of the National Team Construction Committee of the Chinese Basketball Association, as well as the vice chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association. Wang Fang's basketball achievements and management positions have made her an important position in the Chinese basketball community.
- Grandpa and grandmother: Zhang Zhenlin's grandfather was the big forward of the Angang men's basketball team, and his grandmother was the organizational guard of the Liaoning women's basketball team. This means that since childhood, Zhang Zhenlin has been surrounded by basketball, and the basketball tradition in the family has been passed down from generation to generation.
- Father Zhang Yan: Zhang Yan was a player in the Liaoning men's basketball team, and he was also a basketball role model for Zhang Zhenlin when he was growing up.
- Uncle Wang Junyi: Zhang Zhenlin's uncle, who is also a basketball player, continues the family's basketball tradition.
- Jiang Xu: The wife of her uncle Wang Junyi, she is the daughter of basketball champion Jiang Xingquan. Jiang Xingquan is a leading figure in Chinese basketball, and has led the Chinese men's basketball team to the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time. He later became a CBA head coach and served as a basketball advisor for several teams. Jiang's influence in Chinese basketball is undeniable, and many CBA coaches and management personnel have been mentored by him.
Advantages of family background
Zhang's family background has clearly laid a solid foundation for his basketball career. He grew up in this basketball family and was exposed to different levels of basketball knowledge and experience. These are the important factors that Zhang Zhenlin needs to become a professional footballer. Under the influence of this family background, Zhang Zhenlin developed early basketball interests and skills.
He trained with the Liaoning team as a child, which gave him a solid foundation in basketball. What's more, when he was eight years old, his mother took him to Beijing to watch Kobe Bryant and James' China tour. This experience profoundly influenced him and inspired his dream of becoming an NBA player. This also reflects the support of her mother, Wang Fang, who did not limit her son to China, but encouraged him to pursue bigger dreams.
The path to study
In order to improve his basketball skills, Zhang Zhenlin traveled to Oregon to participate in the training program of the American Basketball Academy. He received professional basketball training at the American Basketball Academy while studying English. It was an important step in his career, giving him the opportunity to compete with players from all over the world.
After graduating from high school, Zhang joined the basketball team of Durant University in the United States and competed in the NCAA. However, in two seasons, he did not perform well. Although he appeared in 60 games, including 35 starts, he averaged only 5.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per game, which was far less than expected. This led him to begin to reevaluate his basketball career path.
Return home to compete in the CBA
After deciding to return to China, Zhang Zhenlin joined the Liaoning team of the CBA. The Liaoning team listed him as a training target at the beginning of his career, optimistic about his potential. His rookie season was impressive, averaging 14.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point range. His powerful slam dunk skills breathed new life into the CBA, improved the spectacle of the game, and even won the championship of the slam dunk contest. He was also named the MVP of the losing side of the rookie game, but that sparked some controversy.
However, in the following season, Zhang's performance was up and down, and his shooting percentage and three-point shooting percentage declined. In the playoffs, he shot just 39.1 percent from the field, and on the international stage, he did even worse. This made him the object of internet violence, raising questions about his career.
Violence and arrogance
Zhang Zhenlin has caused controversy because of his arrogance and domineering in the game. In one match, he deliberately fouled and angered his opponent, and the opposing player gave him an angry look. Even if his teammates dissuaded him, Zhang Zhenlin was extremely arrogant, and he said viciously: "You still dare to look at me!" How dare you look at me! This arrogant attitude has sparked widespread controversy, with many people concerned about his work ethic and ethics.
The collision of family background and strength
Zhang Zhenlin's career has been full of challenges, and although his family background has brought him certain advantages, it is not a substitute for hard power. He has to rely on his own hard work and perseverance to prove his strength. This setback may have made him determined to reach the pinnacle of his basketball career again. The arrogant attitude may be used to in the domestic league, but this mentality cannot achieve good results on the international stage. There is a huge gap between the domestic league and the international arena, the opponent is stronger, and hard power is the key to victory. Zhang's family background has certainly paved the way for his career, but in the professional arena, only strength can help him succeed. He needs to overcome challenges and improve his technique and mentality to excel both domestically and internationally. This process requires his own hard work and persistence, and he must rely on himself to succeed.
Zhang's experience sheds light on some of the problems in Chinese basketball. The gap between the domestic league and the international arena is not only reflected in the technical level, but also in the attitude and mentality of the players. In the domestic league, some players have performed well on the pitch and their numbers have been impressive, but once they set foot on the international stage, they have lost their former prestige. This phenomenon has triggered people's thinking about China's basketball training system and players' mentality. Playing in the domestic league, especially for some players with backgrounds, they may get more opportunities due to their family background, rather than having to stand out through skill and strength like other players. This has led to a lack of fighting spirit on the part of players in the domestic league who may not really defend their opponents as this can lead to a series of problems and even loss of playing opportunities in domestic competitions.
The situation is different on the international stage, the opponent is stronger, and hard power is the key to victory. As a result, these players will appear weak in international matches. Zhang Zhenlin's arrogance and domineering may be used to in the domestic league, but this mentality cannot achieve good results in the international arena. Zhang's basketball family background certainly makes him stand out, but his career has been full of twists and turns. He now needs to rely on his own hard work and persistence to prove his strength in order to get out of this setback and usher in the glory of basketball again.
Zhang's basketball family background is one of the best in Chinese basketball, but that's not all his basketball career is all about. He grew up under the care of his family, but on the field, only his own hard work and hard work can lead to success. The gap between the domestic league and the international arena needs to be our attention, and we hope that Chinese basketball can continue to develop and grow, so that more young people can follow their dreams and succeed regardless of their background. Zhang's experience reminds us that in basketball, hard power is always the most important thing.