By CGTN's Yan Yangchen

NBA commissioner Adam Silver gave his annual "state-of-the-league" press conference ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday. 

The leader expressed his frustration that basketball-crazed China currently does not have a player in the league and stressed that the league would cooperate closely with Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) chairman Yao Ming to train and prepare more young talents from China for the NBA. 

Commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media before Game 1 of the 2017 NBA Finals at Oracle Arena on June 1, 2017 in Oakland, California. /VCG Photo 

“It's something I talked to Yao Ming a lot about, and I think ultimately, we all collectively have to do a better job training the best players in China. It sort of relates to the earlier question even about American players,” said Silver in the press conference. 

“But how we can train Chinese players to ultimately compete at the highest level in the NBA? It's one of the things that we have worked with Yao on and are now creating academies in China,” he added. 

Zhou Qi, center, Chinese national basketball player /VCG Photo 

“We can bring together some of the best players at a young age, they can compete against each other, they can compete internationally in the summer, and ultimately that's what enables them to become NBA players,” said the NBA commissioner. 

“I have no doubt that hopefully Zhou Qi, as you said, will turn out to be an NBA-quality player as well. I have never seen him play in person, but I've seen tape of him playing, and he seems like he could be a great player. But we need to increase the pool of top-notch Chinese players. I think it will have a great impact on our league, and I think it will be good for Chinese basketball as well." Silver said,  holding an optimistic attitude towards the incoming Huston Rocket center and Chinese basketball.