Wang Gets Thrown Out Off Chinese National Squad .c Reuters BEIJING (Oct. 9) -- NBA forward-center Wang Zhizhi has been thrown out of the Chinese national squad after refusing to play for them in the World Championships and other events, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) said Wednesday. It said in a statement that Wang had violated a CBA agreement with his NBA team of last season, the Dallas Mavericks, that he would return home for practice and competition during the American off-season. "He said he needed to stay in the United States for training and to participate in the American summer league and made it impossible for the national team to contact him," the CBA said. Wang, who became a restricted free agent in the summer, is on the verge of joining the Los Angeles Clippers on a three-year deal. Dallas has 15 days to match the offer beginning October 2. The CBA said it had dispatched a representative to the U.S. to renew contact with the estranged player after the summer league ended, but Wang rejected their advances. "Wang refused to meet, and entrusted someone else to send a message saying that he could only develop in the NBA, and was unwilling to return home." Wang, an army officer who once played for the military-run Bayi Rockets, fueled media speculation he might be seeking to defect when he did not return for mandatory training in June. The CBA sent a letter to the 7-foot-1 Wang in August just before the World Championships saying he would not be punished if he rejoined the squad. Wang failed to attend the championships, where China ended a disappointing 12th. 10/09/02 08:45 ET Copyright 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
Does this imply that Yao will get his clearance to play in NBA pretty soon 'cause CBA has taken care of the Wang issue? Somehow I found this is funny since Wang hasn't been a memeber of the national team for a while. I am thinking maybe George Karl should take a hint here and throw Shaq out of the USA national team for his comments Shrimpie
Shame on Zhizhi Wang, being the first asian NBA player, rewarded many honors inlcuding MVP of CBA, Honored Red Army Officer, one of the "Outstanding Younth of the nation". It is a shame on him refusing to play for his nation. His excuses became boy's lies when the NBA summer league finished. There is a old story in China that I would share. Long long time ago, one farmer from northern China found that the orange grew in southern China is big, juicy and sweet. Thinking about transplanting, he brough the young plant back to northern China. With years efforts, the transplant became a failure, the northern oranges are black, sour and small. Is the young plant itself defective? or the climate in north is so cruel? No one knows.
Players that didn't play for their nations? Let's see...Shaq, Kobe, Duncan, Garnett, Webber, Bibby... Nash and Fox (Canada)...
He is still with Army, and there is a understanding between Mav and China League that he would come back to play for national team.I guess it was also his promise.(only a guess). I used to be a fan of him, not anymore. Yao with Rockets is guaranteed by the CBA officer recently during the Asian Games.
Everybody has the right to live their own life. There is nothing wrong with Wang. He got trained in China, but he also played for China for so many years. So it is even. To follow the basketball officials blindly only helps the buracrats in China. It doesn't serve the country any good. Those corrupted CBA officials are the ones who harm the country. Wang's action actually helps reform the CBA system in China. He contributes to the country once again. He is a man. Everybody should do something good to themselves, their family, and the community they live in before they talk about doing something for the country. If everybody's interest is harmed by serving the country, there is no point to have that country.
Good riddance, the guy can't play defense and always has that stupid "I didn't wake up" look on his face. He thought he's the big shot on the Mavs first and shot the ball everytime, then had to change his selfish style when teammates stopped giving him the ball. I think the NT made a wise choice to kick him out as he can't bring a positive attitude to the NT.
That is your point? If everybody's interest is harmed by helping other people,is there any point to you to do that? Is there anything really matter besides your own interest? How bad Wang's interest will be harmed, if he had played for his country after the summer league? Losing his $2M contract? He is losing his fans, at least me. that is the most damage for him. You may understand him better than I, tell me your excuses that he is a political prisoner who escaped from red corner,and was tortured when he was 14, something Hollywood would conceive. but let me tell you he was once upon a time a star in China.
Yeah...dumb move Wang...go be a commie. We here, as Americans, encourage people to be communists. You people are amazing. Wang stayed in the United States so he could improve his basketball skills to HELP his team. Would a Wang that played in the summer leagues and pickup games in LA be better, or the wang who went back to china and played pickup with all their scrubs? Hmm? It's the CBA's fault. If they would have let Wang play, they might have finished a little better than 12th(?) at the WC's. By the way, chinese, Wang WANTED to play for the national team but was refused that luxury. If you ever want Yao to be a force in this league, you better hope he follows Wang's lead and eventually defects. There's no way he will be able to progress as a player if he's stuck in China every summer fulfilling his obligations...playing against sub-collegiate talent.
This is completely rediculous. Wang wasn't selfish. He wouldn't shoot the ball enough! Nash and his teamates would yell at Wang because we wouldn't take the open shot most of the time. Finally, towards the end of the season, Wang would shoot when he was open which Nellie had been preaching the whole time.
We must have been watching different games, I saw Wang was wide open for times and the teammates with the ball just turned their heads the other way on intetntion. I also noticed that in the beginning Wang would shoot the ball once he got it, with or without a hand in his face. He thinks he's Larry Bird or something. It's not until later he changed his style and tried to pass his teammates the ball.
I respect people who are unselfish and patriotic. But talking about unselfishness and patriotism is easy, to do it yourself is hard because people are selfish by nature. For example, why don't you go back to China to build the country? How much money did you donate to help the poor in China? Taking care of yourself while not hurting others' interest is already hard to do. To achieve this, we have to constantly find the common interest among ourselves and other people surrounding us, and do something to promote the common interest. I've lived in China long enough to know that most of the officials and common people are corrupted. Have you and your parents bribed somebody in your whole life? If yes, it is wrong. I know I've done it myself. If you don't do something to correct it and even support it, that is selfish and unpatriotic. If Wang spent the whole summer in China, he will most likely stay on the bench with Mavs making 750,000 a year. Sure Mark Cuban and CBA will be very happy. But Wang lost over a million a year. Are you willing to give 3/4 of your salary to China? Because of Wang's participation, China may finish 8th instead of 12th in the World Championships. Does that make you very happy? It doesn't make much difference to me. If Wang and Yao can play well in NBA, it will make me proud. It is in my interest. If Wang's action helps reform the CBA system, it is in the interest of Chinese basketball. We should perfect ourselves first, love our families and friends, then we can talk about being unselfish and patriotic. You should not require others to be unselfish and patriotic. By the way, blind patriotism in any country is not good in the long run.
Yes, we must have been watching different games. I watched every game and follow the team on a daily basis. Wang is FAR from selfish. The team was asking him to be MORE selfish with the basketball. There was one time on national television where Wang passed up an open 3 and NBC showed a slow mo of Nash yelling at Wang to take the shot. I think the Mavs explained that in the Chinese culture it isn't polite to always take the shot...or something like that.
I disrespect people who are selfish and unpatriotic, wish my thought does not contravene yours, that is all I want to say.
I still respect your sense of unselfishness and patriotism. But you should keep it to yourself and not use it to judge Wang ZhiZhi or other people. You can test your unselfishness by giving up some of your own benefits to help other people. No disrespect to you. I've tested myself but failed. I consider myself a good person willing to help others. But when my critical interest is on the line, like career and salary raise, I am still pretty selfish. Asking Wang ZhiZhi to give up over 1 million dollars a year is not a small sacrifice. And for what? Patriotism and unselfishness have been promoted in China for so many years. What is the result? I personally feel the Americans are more unselfish and patriotic than the Chinese. Why? Read some Tao Te Ching.
