NBA to help CBA develop local coaches

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(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-10-12 09:35

National Basketball Association (NBA) commissioner David Stern has some investment advice for star center Yao Ming: buy an NBA team after he retires.

Stern was only half joking as he is fully aware of the importance of the fast-growing market in the world's most populous nation.

NBA to help CBA develop local coaches

However, Yao's business prospects are in the future and yesterday Stern's ambitions took a more immediate step forward in the mainland as the NBA and Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) announced a comprehensive multi-year collaboration to foster coaching development in China.

The deal was announced during the pre-match press conference at the NBA exhibition game between the Denver Nuggets and the Indiana Pacers in Beijing's Wukesong Arena.

This new initiative marks another milestone in the successful partnership between the CBA and NBA.

"It's important for Chinese coaches to share the success of coaching experiences in the NBA," said Stern.

"It's a deep and fundamental agreement between the CBA and NBA. Our mutual goal is to develop the sport and coaching ability at the grassroots level and the league level."

As part of the partnership, an NBA-selected team of coaches, trainers and nutritionists will lecture at the CBA's annual coaching training camps. CBA-selected Chinese coaches will have the chance to observe and participate in coaching activities with NBA D-league teams in the United States.

The first group of Chinese coaches is scheduled to leave for the US this fall.

"The CBA is excited about this program because it provides our coaches with a unique opportunity to develop their overall skill by working with experienced NBA coaches," said Li Jinsheng, vice president of the CBA. "We have to initially develop coaching before we try to lift the sport's overall level."

Stern shares the same ideology as Li.

"We look forward to this new coaching collaboration with the CBA," said Stern. "By complementing the CBA's existing coaching training program, we hope to help accelerate the development of basketball coaches in China.

"It's a new step in our long journey of cooperation with the CBA. This program has the ability to have a lasting impact on basketball in China and demonstrates our joint commitment to grow the game."

Since 2004, the NBA and CBA have cooperated on many fronts to enhance the game in China.

The partnership began when a coaching group led by former head coach of the New Jersey Nets, Don Casey, visited China to participate in the first NBA-CBA joint coaching summer camp. Highlights of the partnership have included the Chinese national team playing in the NBA's summer league and also competing against the NBA D-league Ambassadors at the Stankovic Cup in Guangzhou in 2007.

Team China All-stars also played against the Orlando Magic during the 2007 China Games in Macao.

Huge market

China has become increasingly important to the NBA over the past few years as it has emerged as a huge growth market for the sport.

An estimated 12 percent of the urban Chinese population plays basketball and a separate NBA China organization has been established.

Moreover, the NBA has started to develop about a dozen basketball arenas throughout China.

Stern said the NBA's focus was primarily on Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, for now.

"We are deeply involved in the Wukesong Arena," said Stern. "We are working closely with Shanghai and we are also keeping in close touch with Guangzhou."

The NBA manages and operates Wukesong Arena, which was the venue for basketball at the Beijing Olympics.

An arena in Shanghai will be ready as a centerpiece of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, which Chinese officials estimate will attract more than 700 million visitors.

The 18,000-seat arena will also be a center for cultural events and shopping.