What China's FIBA Basketball Asian Cup finals loss means

 

With Yang Hansen gradually establishing himself as the face of Asian basketball in the United States, Chinese basketball has gained significant attention. This story shows how much Chinese basketball has improved, not just one player. Yang Hansen represents that sudden shift of thinking. Is there really a great NBA player waiting to be discovered there? Or better yet, is there another Yang Hansen out there in the CBA, the Chinese domestic basketball league? 

Believe it or not, the growing acceptance of foreign players in the CBA has helped greatly improve individual local talents. The CBA is a better league now than it was ten years ago. It seemed to be so when Yao Ming came along, but after Yao Ming retired, no player from China has taken over his place. It appeared inevitable until the Milwaukee Bucks drafted Yi Jianlian sixth overall. It turned out that all evaluations of him were incorrect. His best year was the 2009-2010 season, where he averaged 12 points per game.

After Yi Jianlian was quickly forgotten, no serious prospect emerged to be taken seriously, let alone in the first round of the draft. Yang Hansen's selection as the 16th overall pick in 2025 was the turning point. Everyone was shocked. Many experts did not even hear of him until that night. People were confused. Who was this seven-foot-one kid from China?

This all changed in the NBA summer league when everyone saw how his game resembled Nikola Jokic, the best overall big man in the league. When everyone compares you to an MVP, that means something; however, Yang remains humble, noting that he wants Jokic's autograph. Let's not rush the young man, though. Allow him some time to develop his skills and get stronger. 

The Chinese basketball team nearly etched a victory against the tough and rugged Australian team led by Xavier Cooks, a player who briefly wore a Washington Wizard's jersey in 2023. Xavier scored 30 points against the Chinese team to secure a one-point victory. Sheesh! That was a close one. 

Yao Ming himself led this change and improvement in Chinese basketball. Elected as the CBA president in 2017 and re-elected in 2022, he enacted changes in foreign player policies while integrating sports and education, all the while improving league operations. Although Yao Ming resigned in 2024, he undoubtedly left a path for future leaders of the CBA to follow. This, in turn, will improve talent and player development. 

Yang Hansen is just the beginning. There will be more young talent from China coming to the NBA.