Chinese Basketball Association President Yao Ming is taking full responsibility for Team China's poor form after they were ruthlessly overwhelmed by Nigeria 86-73 at the FIBA World Cup on Sunday night.

The agonizing defeat meant the hosts would not earn an automatic 2020 Olympics berth that goes to the best Asian team of the tournament. Instead, that accolade went to Iran, who routed the Philippines 95-75 in a one-sided affair on the same night.

China could still clinch a late ticket for the Olympics if somehow they manage to come up trumps in a hotly-contested qualifying tournament next summer. But there's no denying that Yao and his charges had fluffed their lines, missing their best shot at going to Tokyo. 

Yet, instead of letting the blame fall on coach Li Nan's perceived lack of tactical nous, the former Houston Rockets All-Star bore the weight of the team's current misfortune on his shoulders. 

The basketball legend, in his typical fashion, minced no words when asked who should take responsibility for China's disastrous campaign on home soil.

"Me!" Yao deadpanned. "It is me who failed to live up to our fans' expectations. They had high hopes for us at the World Cup, but we were unable to fulfill their wishes."

Inevitably, the buck also stops with Li, whose time as China coach looks likely to come to a premature end. 

The opening win over lowly-ranked Cote d'Ivoire remained Li's side's only bright spot and their performance in Sunday's defeat, following excruciating losses to Poland and Venezuela, was so inept that the spectators went so far as to rain down the boos on Li and call for his head.

Yao had some sympathy for Li, however. "Our coaching staff have pulled out all the stops to help the team. But we had too many problems to deal with. It's impossible for the coaches to solve all of them."

The 39-year-old, who took over as head of the CBA in 2017 with an eye toward deep reform, pointed out that China's awful display further necessitates the need to overhaul a rigid development system that does't suit Chinese basketball.

His immediate attention is focused on his side bouncing back from the latest setback, which could prove a tall order but not entirely impossible.

"The gulf between world-class teams and us is growing ever wider and we have to do our utmost to climb up the ladder," Yao noted. "We must carry the reform through to the end, not give up halfway."

"Now we know where we stand on the world stage. It's time to close the gap at the top and catch up."