Discussion on China’s Men’s Basketball Training Squad & Jokic’s Dismissal: Focus on Youth with Gong Luming and Guo Shiqiang Coaching Locally

On June 13, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) made a significant announcement, officially ending its collaboration with Jokic and naming Guo Shiqiang as assistant coach to take on head coaching responsibilities. It was also announced that Gong Luming would oversee the preparations for the 2027 FIBA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. Alongside these developments, the men’s national basketball training squad was revealed, sparking widespread discussion. Here’s a summary of media reactions:

• Coach Long Detective: This squad is geared towards the 2027 World Cup and 2028 Olympics, and it’s indeed very young and quite large. I speculate that some players might be cut before they travel abroad. But regardless of who’s in or out, I think many are surprised [sigh]。
• Wang Shenwei: Guo Shiqiang taking over from Coach Jokic is a done deal, and Gong Luming’s return marks a shift towards local coaching. The focus now is on preparing for the 2027 World Cup in Doha, Qatar, during which the Chinese team won’t have major tournaments. This suggests that Gong Luming and Guo Shiqiang’s coaching team may stay in place until the World Cup results are in. In bidding farewell to Jokic, the CBA acknowledged his contributions and the insights he brought to Chinese basketball. However, his inability to lead China to the Olympics left him with an unsatisfactory record, making it challenging for his successor.
• Xue Sijia: From the training squad, it’s clear that the new China Men’s Basketball Team emphasizes youth, with a long-term goal of the 2027 World Cup and 2028 Olympics. Notable regulars like Zhao Jiwei, Sun Minghui, Hu Jinqiu, Cui Yongxi, Abudushalamu, and Shen Zijie were not included. The CBA mentioned that players whose seasons ended later, those undergoing overseas training, or recovering from injuries could be called up later after discussions and recovery.
• The changes in the coaching staff are substantial too, with Wang Han and foreign coach Laurent from the Guangzhou Basketball Team joining the assistant coaches, while Liu Wei’s name is absent. Key positions like team manager, translator, video analyst, and strength coach have seen personnel changes.
• Terrestrial Thorn: It’s bittersweet and coincidental that I became the journalist who had the last official interview with Jokic before his final game coaching the Chinese team. I’ll treasure this video. I respect Mr. Jokic, but his ideas didn’t fully align with the realities of Chinese basketball. The conversation was purely about basketball, and this journey just wasn’t the right fit. Wishing Coach Jokic well, thank you.
• A detailed look at the list reveals several points: 1) The head coach position is yet to be determined, though the selection process has started, making Guo Shiqiang’s appointment a formality. 2) Assistant coach Wang Han is a familiar name. 3) The support team now includes a formal translator, Lu Ruxin from Liaoning. 4) The 26-player list seems to be ordered by CBA rankings, with a few errors.Xinjiang’s absence is explained by considering injuries and specialized training, with some players possibly joining later. 5) Some selections are unexpected. 6) Coach Gong Luming’s return is official, and his experience will ensure a certain level of discipline, but adapting to the global game remains a challenge. 7) Lastly, why the warm-up games against Macau Black Bears? Is it necessary to play them twice?

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