Photo/petrel fish music
Editor/Petrel Fish Music
Preface
In this era of globalization, talent mobility has become the norm. However, when a former Chinese athlete chooses to become a Japanese citizen, but lives in Japan is not satisfactory, and wants to return to China for development, he is Zhang Tianjie, today we will talk about his story.
Naturalization as a Japanese citizen has caused heated discussions
This kid was born in 1992, his family is in Shenyang, his parents are athletes, and he has grown up in the basketball circle since he was a child. Can you think of it? At the age of 16, he decided to become a Japanese citizen. The move was a sensation, and he became the first naturalized Chinese player in the Japanese national team.
Why did he do that? Maybe he likes Japanese cherry blossoms more than our peonies, or maybe he thinks Japanese sushi is more fragrant than our steamed buns. However, we can't speculate at random, after all, he is now an important player in the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins team, and the Zhang brothers are playing quite well in Japan.
His performances on the pitch have been outstanding, and his scoring record has been updated time and time again. But there was a problem, he didn't hold back his mouth. Even though you have become a Japanese citizen, you have to keep a low profile, right? However, this benevolent brother is not the same, and even publicly stated that the opponent he most wants to beat on the court is the Chinese team. The remarks angered domestic fans. People accused him of being ungrateful.
Despite this, Zhang Bentianjie still firmly occupies a place in the Japanese basketball world, and boldly expressed his hope that he can return to China after retirement. Many athletes choose to play for other countries for a variety of reasons, but Zhang's decision shows that he has renounced his Chinese citizenship, an act seen as a betrayal of history. Zhang Bentianjie initially chose to join the Japanese men's basketball team, in fact, because he was disappointed with the development of the Chinese men's basketball team.
Although there is a gap between the Chinese men's basketball team and the world level, compared with the Japanese men's basketball team, the strength is also comparable. In recent years, the gap between the Chinese men's basketball team and the international top level has become more and more obvious, and it can be said that it has been completely disconnected. According to the latest FIBA rankings, the Chinese men's basketball team has dropped to 29th in the world and fifth in Asia, showing a clear downward trend, dropping from 27th in 2022 to 29th in 2023.
It's not easy to live in Japan either
Zhang Bentianjie initially chose to become a Japanese citizen, probably because he was full of yearning for Japanese basketball. However, reality hit him hard. Although the Japanese basketball league has grown rapidly in recent years, the competition has far exceeded expectations. In Japan, basketball is nowhere near as popular as baseball and football, which results in relatively limited resources and development space for basketball players. For a naturalized player like Zhang Bentianjie, it is very difficult to get ample opportunities to prove himself.
To add insult to injury, the Japanese basketball community is wary of naturalizing players, fearing that over-reliance on foreign players will hinder the development of local talent. This kind of policy makes it difficult for Zhang Bentianjie to get enough playing time even if he has the strength. Over the past few years, Zhang Bentianjie's performance in Japan has been regrettable. Instead of becoming a star in basketball, he was reduced to an ordinary role player. This gap is undoubtedly a huge blow to a young man who once had ambitions.
When Zhang initially chose to abandon his homeland, he probably did not expect to find himself in such a predicament. This makes people feel that sometimes the "better" we expect is often just illusory. It should be emphasized that Zhang Bentianjie's experience is not an isolated case. Many athletes who choose to become a citizen of another country end up facing similar challenges. This may be a warning to athletes who are considering "leaving".
When Zhang Tianjie did not develop well in Japan and wanted to return to China, he probably did not expect to face such strong opposition. But in reality, the Chinese Basketball Association and the entire sports community have always been wary of "returning" athletes. They have strict policies that go beyond a simple "welcome home" and involve complex legal and policy hurdles.
Zhang Bentianjie has obtained Japanese citizenship, which means that he is no longer a Chinese citizen in law. To rejoin the Chinese Basketball Association, he will face multiple legal and policy obstacles. Public opinion has also reacted violently to the "returning" athletes. Many Chinese fans believe that Mr. Zhang's choice to become a Japanese citizen was a betrayal of China, but now he wants to come back, which is seen as a speculative act.
I can't go on and want to go back to China
From the inside, he is also an honest Chinese, but due to the pressure to move to Japan with his parents, he had to follow the inevitable situation, and finally formed the current form. After the end of his career, Zhang Tianjie still wants to return to China, and he also revealed his desire to join the Chinese team in an interview, and some netizens believe that this is just to make money.
Whether he lives in Liaoning, China, or became a Japanese player because his parents moved to Japan, Zhang Bentianjie has said in interviews many times that his love and pursuit of sports is very pure in his heart. Zhang Tianjie mentioned in the interview that he hopes to choose the appropriate career after completing his goal, and he even said that it would be better if he had the opportunity to be assigned to China, which made netizens even more disgusted.
But some rational netizens believe that Zhang Tianjie's return to work in China is not a bad thing. In Japan, he enjoys an abundance of sports resources, which may be helpful for some basketball players in China. But in any case, for Chinese, Zhang Tianjie's decision to join the Japanese team has left many people with unhealable wounds.
In this age of traffic, some players may be more concerned about the number of followers they have on the web than their scoring results on the pitch. Is this possible? Let's take Zhang Bentianjie's question as an example. It is understandable that everyone's right to choose their nationality should be respected. However, once a choice is made, one must be held accountable for it. Don't look at the masters, you should have the corresponding responsibility for your choices.
This incident is a wake-up call for us. Wherever we go, we must not forget our roots and identity. As the old saying goes, the leaves fall to the roots. If Zhang Bentianjie really wants to come back, he still needs to consider whether the Chinese people accept it. In general, this incident reminds us that we must have backbone for people and a bottom line for things. China is not anyone's garbage can, let alone a place where anyone can come and go whenever they want.
epilogue
Zhang Tianjie once became a Japanese citizen and sought better development opportunities, but his fate was not all smooth sailing. Now, he can't go on, but he wants to return to China to make money, but he finds that his choice has irreversible consequences. In the face of difficulties, Zhang Tianjie may have realized the profound meaning of good and evil being rewarded. His choice may have seemed wise, but it came at a price. Now, he hopes to make up for his choice by borrowing money back to his country, but he faces obstacles and losses that he cannot easily overcome.
Zhang's experience reminds us that every choice has its implications and consequences. No matter where we go, kindness and integrity are always values worth pursuing. Therefore, in the face of adversity and failure, we should examine our actions and choices, learn from them, and move firmly towards a brighter future.