OLYMPICS /
Team China
Yao heads Chinese roster
China Daily
Updated: 2008-07-25 11:17
NBA all-star center Yao Ming will spearhead China's 12-man Beijing Olympic men's basketball team, which was officially announced Thursday.
Yi Jianlian (L) ,Yao Ming (C)and Wang Zhizhi (R) stand at the opening ceremony of the game against Angola at the Stankovic Cup Olympic warm-up tournament in Hangzhou, July 19, 2008. [Agencies] |
The New Jersey Nets' Yi Jianlian, former NBA player Wang Zhizhi, Wang Shipeng, Zhu Fangyu and Chen Jianghua were also named to the squad, which the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) hopes can finish at least sixth in Beijing.
The team finished eighth four years ago in Athens. These players will be joined by veteran Li Nan, Liu Wei, Sun Yue, Du Feng, Wang Lei and Zhang Qingpeng.
Yao last week returned from foot surgery at the Stankovic Cup in Hangzhou. China has won 12 of 13 warm-up games since May. The Diamond Cup in Nanjing on July 29 will be the team's last tournament before the Games.