Chinese center in NBA draft

NEW JERSEY–Move over, Yao Ming. There’s a new Chinese kid on the block and he’s an early entry candidate for the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft on June 26 in New York City.

Xue Yuyang, 20, was voted Rookie of the Year in the China Basketball Association (CBA) in 2001-02 after averaging 8.1 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Jilin Northeast Tigers. This past season, the 7-foot, 210-pound center blossomed into a dominant Shaq-alike as he averaged 21.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.1 blocked shots for the Hong Kong Flying Dragons.

Although he has still to play in an international tournament, Xue is now a regular on the Chinese national squad.

An NBA scouting report on Xue said: "He has a big build with the capacity to add much more weight as he develops. Scouting reports indicate he is more comfortable shooting, facing the basket and has good hands and a good touch. He runs the court very well and has athletic quickness. May be better suited to power forward as he matures."

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Beijing broadcaster Zheng Hao Chen, who is here to cover the NBA Finals for ESPN Sports in Asia, said the Chinese national team has undergone a coaching facelift in the wake of its dethronement by South Korea at the recent Asian Games in Busan. The 102-100 overtime loss came at the heels of China’s disastrous 12th place showing at the World Championships in Indianapolis last year.

Chen, a national player for three years up to 1992, said coach Wang Fei is gone and back in the saddle is veteran Jiang Singquan with the popular Adiljan as assistant. Jiang, 62, was the national coach from 1991-96 and 1999-2000. He led China to the quarterfinals of the World Championships in Toronto in 1994.

Chen said it’s likely 7-1 Wang Zhizhi will never return to China after he was banned from the national team for disloyalty. Wang refused to play for China at the World Championships and Asian Games last year because the schedules conflicted with NBA summer camps.

"Wang is still a soldier in the Chinese Army," noted Chen. "I think he’s afraid to go back to China because he might not be able to leave again after what he did. The problem is he might be out of a job in the NBA next season. I don’t know if he’ll get an opportunity to play in Europe because he’s an outside-shooting big man."

Wang’s adviser is former NBA international TV staffer Simon Chan, a Columbia University graduate. Wang and Chan are based in Los Angeles.

This past season, Wang saw action for the Los Angeles Clippers. He had previously suited up for the Dallas Mavericks.

Another Chinese star who refused to report to the national team to chase a dream to play in the NBA has regretted his decision. Ma Jian, a former Philippine Basketball League (PBL) import, was the Clippers last cut two straight years and never made it to the NBA. When he returned to China, Ma was never again considered to play for the national squad.

Chen said Ma will likely retire this year because of recurring knee problems. Chen knew that Ma’s younger brother Ming went to Manila and tried his luck playing for a Filipino team. Ming is no longer playing hoops in China. "He was never that good," added Chen.

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Chinese center Bateer Mengke sits on the San Antonio Spurs bench in civilian clothes during the Finals. The 6-11, 290-pound behemoth played in 12 regular season games for the Spurs, averaging less than a point and 3.8 minutes an outing in a forgettable role. He was excluded from the Spurs playoff roster.

Bateer, 27, hit at a 5.l clip for the Denver Nuggets in 27 games the previous campaign.

I asked Bateer what he thought of the Philippine team that China crushed at the Asian Games last year. I reminded him that the Philippines would’ve faced China in a rematch for the gold medal if only South Korea’s Lee Sang Min didn’t hit the buzzer-beating triple to beat coach Joseph Uichico’s boys in the semis.

"The Philippine team keeps on improving," said Bateer through an interpreter. "They’re deep in every position. They will be much stronger if their professionals play for the national team."

Bateer singled out Danny Ildefonso, Kenneth Duremdes and Olsen Racela as the top Filipino cagers in Busan. He couldn’t remember their names but his descriptions were on the money.

Bateer said there’s something special about the way Filipinos play the game. "I like the Filipino style," he mentioned.

As for his plans next year, Bateer said he’d like to prove himself worthy of playing for the Spurs. He’s not thinking of moving to another team.

Bateer is married to Delinuoer Jumahong. The couple has two daughters Difeilana and Niu-Niu and a son Baenze. Last year, the burly mastadon established the Bateer Basketball Foundation for Chinese fans to donate money to build the Basketball Hoops Charity School in his hometown of Hangjing Country, Erdos Praine in Inner Mongolia.