What do you think?, Yao Ming leads the team! Chinese men's basketball team announces the list of 12 players for the World Cup. The entire team | players | list
The Chinese Basketball Association announced on the evening of the 22nd the lineup for the Chinese men's basketball team to compete in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Li Kaier and Zhou Qi lead the 12 man squad, and players such as Zhang Zhenlin, Fu Hao, and Cui Yongxi, who have had outstanding performances during European training, are all shortlisted. Djorgevic is the head coach of the team, and Yao Ming is the manager.
The lineup of the Chinese team competing in the 2023 Men's Basketball World Cup includes Zhao Jiwei, Zhao Rui, Hu Mingxuan, Cui Yongxi, Zhang Zhenlin, Zhu Junlong, Li Kaier, Zhou Peng, Fu Hao, Zhou Qi, Hu Jinqiu, and Wang Zhelin.
Starting from June 23rd, a total of 18 Chinese men's basketball players underwent two weeks of training in Qingdao. In early July, the entire team went to Slovenia to start European training. During this period, the Chinese men's basketball team played 8 warm-up matches against 7 teams including Croatia, Slovenia, Egypt, Cape Verde, Italy, Germany, and New Zealand, with a total record of 3 wins and 5 losses. They defeated Cape Verde, Egypt, and New Zealand, but failed to win 5 games against 4 European teams.
![What do you think?, Yao Ming leads the team! Chinese men's basketball team announces the list of 12 players for the World Cup. The entire team | players | list](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/8e387565d7fec74ec9892663e05fa390.jpg)
During the training period, head coach Djorgevic inspected multiple players in different matches, continuously adjusted the lineup, and completed several personnel adjustments. Cheng Shuaipeng, Du Runwang, He Xining, Zeng Fanbo, and Yu Jiahao left the team one after another, while Li Kaier met with the team at the end of July.
In the warm-up matches overseas, Zhang Zhenlin scored the highest points for the entire team consecutively in the first few matches against Croatia and Slovenia, demonstrating impressive physical talent and adaptability; Zhao Rui has grown into the most stable point of online attack and defense for defenders; Young Cui Yongxi possesses vitality and plasticity; Zhao Jiwei and Hu Mingxuan also demonstrated the ability to lead the team's attack during a certain period of the game at the end of their journey; Fu Hao also demonstrated his non ball skills during his trip to Italy, winning the trust of the head coach.
Compared to the streamlined 14 player roster during European training, Fang Shuo and Sun Minghui became the last two players to be selected. In the previous warm-up matches, Sun Minghui did not have many opportunities, and Fang Shuo gradually ranked at the end of the bench in the final stage of the warm-up matches.
![What do you think?, Yao Ming leads the team! Chinese men's basketball team announces the list of 12 players for the World Cup. The entire team | players | list](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/d19ea0d25cd3a0c9a3b295ca1968aa00.jpg)
Among the final shortlisted defenders, Zhao Rui appeared as a starting point guard in multiple warm-up matches; Hu Mingxuan showed his attacking skills in the final warm-up match against Serbia, scoring the highest 14 points for the entire team; Zhao Jiwei has already proven his ability to lead the team's attack during certain periods of the game.
One noteworthy point of the picture is that the list released by the Chinese Basketball Association can be said to be arranged according to the grouping of defender players, striker players, and interior players. The young general Cui Yongxi was placed in the same group as Zhao Jiwei, Zhao Rui, and Hu Mingxuan. In the CBA league, he may appear more as a defender or even as a point guard in World Cup matches, as he is known for his swing between forwards and defenders.
This also matches the "tall" defensive lineup created by head coach Djorgevic.
![What do you think?, Yao Ming leads the team! Chinese men's basketball team announces the list of 12 players for the World Cup. The entire team | players | list](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/d8cca7fbe41afa99d1c0c6f68ba4bae5.jpg)
In the group stage of the World Cup, the Chinese men's basketball team will compete directly with South Sudan and Puerto Rico. Facing the towering lineup of South Sudan, Choi Yong hee may play the role of a surprise soldier in the defensive position. Facing Puerto Rico, Zhou Qi, Wang Zhelin, and even Fu Hao's inner advantage will be the key weapon for the Chinese team to overcome the enemy and win.
At 20:00 Beijing time on August 26th, the Chinese men's basketball team will face European powerhouse Serbia in their first group stage match. Subsequently, at 16:00 on August 28th and 20:00 on August 30th, the Chinese men's basketball team will respectively face the South Sudan team and the Puerto Rico team.
Let's cheer for the Chinese men's basketball team together!
![What do you think?, Yao Ming leads the team! Chinese men's basketball team announces the list of 12 players for the World Cup. The entire team | players | list](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/f675022bd1a0b6567cf89ac7251cf5fa.jpg)