Yao Ming, chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) is fine tuning his ideas to improve the fortunes of the national team. One of his suggestions, described in domestic media reports, is splitting players into different teams for the next two major international competitions. A clarification issued yesterday has redefined the concept as creating a pair of training squads. 

China's national basketball team is looking at a pretty light schedule over the next two and a half years. That's because the squad is hosting the 2019 FIBA World Championships, which means they don't need to qualify. So Yao is proposing a unique method of filling the gaps.

The CBA chairman has elaborated on an idea he floated earlier this month, suggesting that China creates what he calls a pair of national training teams. The two squads would have different players and coaching staffs, similar to a model the PRC previously employed in soccer.

An S-shaped diagram order would be used to make player selections, with Team A choosing the first player, followed by Team B picking the second a third. The A squad would then grab the fourth and fifth, before the B squad takes the sixth and seventh. Each unit would have 15 members.

Yao says the improvement of China's players will be crucial over the next two and a half years, and believes a new generation of coaches must help facilitate the newly suggested system.

According to Yao, the ability of the coaches will be determined by the performance of the players, and they help each other get better. The two teams are expected to foster a highly competitive environment.

China's latest schedule announcement has the national squad heading to June's East Asia Championship in Japan. The top five finishers from that tournament will earn automatic bids to the FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon in August.