Wang Zhizhi
Encyclopedia
Wang Zhizhi is a Chinese
professional basketball
player. He is a former player in the National Basketball Association
.
Wang is 214 cm tall. Wang's father Wang Weijun (196 cm) and mother Ren Huanzhen (186 cm) were both basketball players. Wang and his wife, Song Yang, have one son, Jerry.
, Wang joined the Army
club in 1994. When the Chinese Basketball Association
started in 1995, Wang was one of the youngest players in the league. Nevertheless, he soon became a starter in the star-studded army team Bayi Rockets
. From 1995 to his departure for the NBA after the 2001 Finals, the import-less Bayi Rockets won all CBA Finals and National Games of the PRC. The Bayi dynasty was upended by Yao Ming
and the Shanghai Sharks
as soon as Wang left for the NBA.
and 86% of his free throws. He also averaged 11.1 rebounds
per game and led the tournament in shots blocked. As a result, Wang was named to the All-Tournament team.
In 1996, Wang became the first Asia
n player invited to play for the international squad against the best USA high school players in the prestigious Nike Hoop Summit Game. He started
and scored 6 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. He was offered a basketball scholarship
from John Thompson
of Georgetown University
.
Wang Zhizhi became an Olympian in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where he started and averaged 11.1 points and 5.6 rebounds, helping China to finish in 8th place.
In the 1997 Asia Basketball Championship, a fever
Wang had was partially responsible for a semifinal loss to Korea
, which prevented China from qualifying for the 1998 World Basketball Championship.
In 1998, China regained its supremacy in the Bangkok Asian Games.
After leading the Chinese national squad to the 1999 Asia Championship title, Wang again starred for China in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, averaging 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He also made 54% of his field goals and 90% of his free throws as China placed 10th.
selected Wang with the 36th pick in the second round of the NBA draft
. The Mavericks were the only NBA team getting hold of Wang's official documents with an authentic date of birth, thanks to his agent Xia Song who was in Dallas on draft night. Unprepared and confused, the army refused to allow their only center to leave for the United States, at least immediately.
After long periods of negotiations, Wang Zhizhi was finally let go by his Army club and the Chinese basketball officials to pursue his NBA dream, two years after he was drafted. Wang arrived in Dallas after winning his last CBA title, when there were less than 10 games left in the NBA regular season. Despite some adjustment difficulties Wang managed well, averaging 4.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in 7.6 minutes per game. He also made the playoff roster.
Two days after the Mavericks were eliminated from the playoffs, Wang hurried back to China to play in the East Asian Games, according to an agreement formed between the Chinese authorities and the Dallas Mavericks. In the same summer, Wang was tremendous in two more tournaments in China: winning the Asia Championship, and placing a historic second in the Universiade.
However, Wang still had one obligation to fulfill before being allowed to return to the United States. His army club requested that he stay in China to play in the National Games in November. Wang arrived after barely defeating Yao Ming's Shanghai team by 1 point in the Final, but found that he had a lot of catch-ups to do as other players already had two months to familiarize with the NBA team's system. Wang again made the playoff roster in 2002.
area without telling either the Mavericks, or the Chinese side his intentions.
During the stay, the Chinese basketball officials faxed two letters to him urging him to return to China as soon as possible to train with the National Team. Wang ignored them.
A major blow to all parties involved was an article by Jodie Valade that appeared in The Dallas Morning News
. In the article, Valade hinted that Wang, who had not yet stated his intentions, might "defect" to the United States. China sent two military officials who had known Wang very well to go to the United States for a final negotiation. Wang had been playing for the Golden State Warriors
in the Long Beach summer league, and averaged 4.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in 7.6 minutes per game.
During a press conference Wang stressed that the relationship between him and the Chinese was like one between "a son and a mother", and the conflict is all but misunderstanding. Wang was ultimately dismissed from the national team for failing to return to China to practice in 2002.
He was signed by the Dallas Mavericks
in 2001, and later played for the Los Angeles Clippers
and the Miami Heat
. An athletic and tall player at 214cm, Wang was primarily known in the NBA as a long-range shooter. However, he was previously crowned the slam dunk
champion in China's CBA league. His minutes were very limited in the NBA, never averaging more than 10.9 per game in a season, and he became a free agent at the end of the 2005 season. In late 2005, Wang was not playing professional basketball in the NBA or China. He averaged 4.4 points and 9.9 minutes per game over 5 seasons in the NBA.
in Beijing.
On April 30, 2006, Wang rejoined the national basketball team.
Over a period of four weeks in the leadup to the 2006 World Championships in Japan, Wang Zhizhi was a significant contributor to the Chinese national team in the absence of injured Houston Rockets NBA player Yao Ming
, averaging 4.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in eight matches before suffering a torn ligament
during a friendly game against France
in late July. Wang recovered in time to play in the World Championships, and averaged 8.2 points and 3.5 rebounds a game in 20.7 minutes a game.
Wang is currently playing for Bayi in the CBA. In March 2007, he helped Bayi win the CBA championship for the seventh time over the Guangdong Tigers
and was named the MVP of the series.
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. He is a former player in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
.
Wang is 214 cm tall. Wang's father Wang Weijun (196 cm) and mother Ren Huanzhen (186 cm) were both basketball players. Wang and his wife, Song Yang, have one son, Jerry.
Basketball career in China
Born in BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Wang joined the Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
club in 1994. When the Chinese Basketball Association
Chinese Basketball Association
The Chinese Basketball Association , often abbreviated to the CBA, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in China.The league is commonly known as the CBA, and this acronym is often used even in Chinese...
started in 1995, Wang was one of the youngest players in the league. Nevertheless, he soon became a starter in the star-studded army team Bayi Rockets
Bayi Rockets
Bayi Shuanglu Rockets or Bayi Rockets or Bayi Army Rockets or Bayi Shuanglu are a basketball team in the South Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Ningbo, Zhejiang...
. From 1995 to his departure for the NBA after the 2001 Finals, the import-less Bayi Rockets won all CBA Finals and National Games of the PRC. The Bayi dynasty was upended by Yao Ming
Yao Ming
Yao Ming is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association...
and the Shanghai Sharks
Shanghai Sharks
The Shanghai Sharks , is a Chinese Basketball Association team based in Shanghai, China. Steven Kevelam is the first to corporate a good sponsorship, there is often an additional name used: for many years they were also known as the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks , but now are known as Shanghai Xiyang...
as soon as Wang left for the NBA.
International achievements
In the 1995 FIBA World Championship for Juniors (Under-19 players), Wang led China to a 9th place finish with a 4-4 record. He averaged 22.3 points, making 60% of his field goalsField goal (basketball)
In basketball, the term field goal refers to a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance of the attempt from the basket. "Field Goal" is the official terminology used by the National Basketball Association in their rule book,...
and 86% of his free throws. He also averaged 11.1 rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
per game and led the tournament in shots blocked. As a result, Wang was named to the All-Tournament team.
In 1996, Wang became the first Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n player invited to play for the international squad against the best USA high school players in the prestigious Nike Hoop Summit Game. He started
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
and scored 6 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. He was offered a basketball scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
from John Thompson
John Thompson (basketball)
John R. Thompson, Jr. is an American former basketball coach for the Georgetown University Hoyas. He is now a professional radio and TV sports commentator...
of Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
.
Wang Zhizhi became an Olympian in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where he started and averaged 11.1 points and 5.6 rebounds, helping China to finish in 8th place.
In the 1997 Asia Basketball Championship, a fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
Wang had was partially responsible for a semifinal loss to Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, which prevented China from qualifying for the 1998 World Basketball Championship.
In 1998, China regained its supremacy in the Bangkok Asian Games.
After leading the Chinese national squad to the 1999 Asia Championship title, Wang again starred for China in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, averaging 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He also made 54% of his field goals and 90% of his free throws as China placed 10th.
First NBA player from China
In the summer of 1999, to the surprise of almost all basketball officials and reporters in China, the Dallas MavericksDallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
selected Wang with the 36th pick in the second round of the NBA draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
. The Mavericks were the only NBA team getting hold of Wang's official documents with an authentic date of birth, thanks to his agent Xia Song who was in Dallas on draft night. Unprepared and confused, the army refused to allow their only center to leave for the United States, at least immediately.
After long periods of negotiations, Wang Zhizhi was finally let go by his Army club and the Chinese basketball officials to pursue his NBA dream, two years after he was drafted. Wang arrived in Dallas after winning his last CBA title, when there were less than 10 games left in the NBA regular season. Despite some adjustment difficulties Wang managed well, averaging 4.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in 7.6 minutes per game. He also made the playoff roster.
Two days after the Mavericks were eliminated from the playoffs, Wang hurried back to China to play in the East Asian Games, according to an agreement formed between the Chinese authorities and the Dallas Mavericks. In the same summer, Wang was tremendous in two more tournaments in China: winning the Asia Championship, and placing a historic second in the Universiade.
However, Wang still had one obligation to fulfill before being allowed to return to the United States. His army club requested that he stay in China to play in the National Games in November. Wang arrived after barely defeating Yao Ming's Shanghai team by 1 point in the Final, but found that he had a lot of catch-ups to do as other players already had two months to familiarize with the NBA team's system. Wang again made the playoff roster in 2002.
Conflict with the Chinese officials
Wang's contract expired after the 2001-2002 season. With his future up in the air, Wang decided he would spend the summer in the United States, rather than returning to China for training, as the Dallas Mavericks had promised the Chinese basketball officials. Wang fired his agent Xia Song when the latter suggested otherwise, and following the advice of his American-born Chinese friend Simon Chan, moved to the Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area without telling either the Mavericks, or the Chinese side his intentions.
During the stay, the Chinese basketball officials faxed two letters to him urging him to return to China as soon as possible to train with the National Team. Wang ignored them.
A major blow to all parties involved was an article by Jodie Valade that appeared in The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
. In the article, Valade hinted that Wang, who had not yet stated his intentions, might "defect" to the United States. China sent two military officials who had known Wang very well to go to the United States for a final negotiation. Wang had been playing for the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the Long Beach summer league, and averaged 4.8 points and 1.4 rebounds in 7.6 minutes per game.
During a press conference Wang stressed that the relationship between him and the Chinese was like one between "a son and a mother", and the conflict is all but misunderstanding. Wang was ultimately dismissed from the national team for failing to return to China to practice in 2002.
He was signed by the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
in 2001, and later played for the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
and the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
. An athletic and tall player at 214cm, Wang was primarily known in the NBA as a long-range shooter. However, he was previously crowned the slam dunk
Slam dunk
A slam dunk is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim. This is considered a normal field goal attempt; if successful it is worth two points. The term "slam dunk" was...
champion in China's CBA league. His minutes were very limited in the NBA, never averaging more than 10.9 per game in a season, and he became a free agent at the end of the 2005 season. In late 2005, Wang was not playing professional basketball in the NBA or China. He averaged 4.4 points and 9.9 minutes per game over 5 seasons in the NBA.
Return to China
On April 10, 2006, following weeks of rumors in Chinese media, Wang returned home from the United States after being expelled from the national team for four years. He publicly apologized for his past mistakes and said he wanted to represent the country to play in the World Tournament later in 2006 as well as the 2008 Olympics2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing.
On April 30, 2006, Wang rejoined the national basketball team.
Over a period of four weeks in the leadup to the 2006 World Championships in Japan, Wang Zhizhi was a significant contributor to the Chinese national team in the absence of injured Houston Rockets NBA player Yao Ming
Yao Ming
Yao Ming is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association...
, averaging 4.3 points and 2.6 rebounds in eight matches before suffering a torn ligament
Ligament
In anatomy, the term ligament is used to denote any of three types of structures. Most commonly, it refers to fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bones and is also known as articular ligament, articular larua, fibrous ligament, or true ligament.Ligament can also refer to:* Peritoneal...
during a friendly game against France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in late July. Wang recovered in time to play in the World Championships, and averaged 8.2 points and 3.5 rebounds a game in 20.7 minutes a game.
Wang is currently playing for Bayi in the CBA. In March 2007, he helped Bayi win the CBA championship for the seventh time over the Guangdong Tigers
Guangdong Southern Tigers
Guangdong Winnerway Southern Tigers or Guangdong Southern Tigers or Guangdong Winnerway is a basketball team owned by the Guangdong Winnerway Group. The team is one of the best-performing teams in the Chinese Basketball Association, or CBA...
and was named the MVP of the series.
External links
- Expelled star Wang makes humble return to China (Washington Post)
- Stats at Basketball-reference.com
- Wang wants spot on Chinese National Team (ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
.com)