This week, Li Nan, head coach of the Chinese men's national basketball team, had a conversation with Alvin Gentry, head coach of the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans, about what Chinese players have learned from playing in the 2019 NBA Summer League and what the FIBA Basketball World Cup means for China.
The Chinese national team finished the Summer League with one win and four losses. Li believed this was a great trip for his players. The pace of the games was surprisingly fast for both China's coach and players. Li admitted that only five or six years ago, he did not think anyone could make those transition 3-pointers, but today many are capable of doing that.
Fang Shuo (#5) of the Chinese men's national basketball team shoots in the game against the Charlotte Hornets in the 2019 NBA Summer League, July 8, 2019. /VCG Photo
Gentry said that players must adapt themselves to the high speed and the toughness of the games. Sometimes the referee would not call fouls even if the game got physical, but players need to live with that and push to the end.
Li agreed with Gentry on this. He told his players to deal with referees' decisions. Some of these plays might draw foul calls in FIBA competitions but the NBA's a different story. Chinese players must face such difficulty to learn how to play tough for the World Cup.
Both Li and Gentry shared their opinions on youth development in basketball. Gentry listed three things he considered important: fundamental skills, footwork and the ability to read the game. Li said that young players should join the national team with pride and focus on defense.
Myles Turner (L), Jaren Jackson Jr. (C) and Jaylen Brown (R) play defense during practice at the training camp of the U.S. men's national basketball team, August 7, 2019. /VCG Photo
The Basketball World Cup is happening in eight cities in China between August 31 and September 15. Since it's the first major basketball tournament in the country since the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Li understood that a lot of people are expecting a good performance from China so the team can secure a spot at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The Chinese coach said his team will focus on details in their preparation and help players release stress.
Gentry agreed that playing on behalf of one's country will place a lot of pressure on a player, but such pressure can be turned into impetus. He said that Chinese basketball had been developing amazingly fast and well in the past decade, partly thanks to Yao Ming's efforts. The World Cup will be a great event and people will appreciate China's work.