Heated Discussion on Yao Ming’s Resignation as CBA President! Su Qun: Early Departure Likely a Result of Taking Responsibility or Being Scapegoated

On October 31, according to the official social media of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), Yao Ming’s formal resignation from his position as President of the CBA has sparked widespread discussion.

Media personality Su Qun wrote: Yao Ming could have resigned normally during the CBA’s leadership change in the first half of next year. The fact that it happened earlier may indicate an attitude, whether it is Yao’s own or that of the General Administration of Sport.

During his two terms, the Chinese men’s national basketball team failed to qualify for the Olympics, a result of multiple factors, especially the deterioration of the basketball environment. This cannot be attributed solely to him.

Yao Ming’s tenure was marked by both achievements and shortcomings: He used his influence to sacrifice personal interests and secured China Life Insurance as the main sponsor for the CBA, strongly supporting the league’s development; he promoted the development of grassroots basketball, particularly the popularization of mini-basketball, allowing more young children and teenagers to receive formal basketball training at an earlier age; he strongly advocated the concept of sports education, but under current conditions, this idealism has not been fully realized because the integration of sports and education cannot be achieved by one person alone.

In a sense, the CBA is merely the management body for the national team. Unlike his predecessors, Yao Ming took responsibility or became a scapegoat when the national team performed poorly in the World Cup and failed to qualify for the Olympics. His early resignation is likely a result of taking responsibility or being scapegoated.

Regardless of whether Yao Ming is in office or not, his influence on Chinese basketball remains significant and far-reaching. Whether you like him or not, this is an objective reality.

Media personality San Tu Daitici wrote: Over 2,807 days, how should we evaluate Yao Ming’s tenure as the head of Chinese basketball? Each person has their own criteria. Given our large environment and the specific circumstances surrounding each individual, he did some things, got some things right, and many things were left undone, while others remain controversial.

When the time comes to leave, we still wish him well.

Three Key Dates in Yao Ming’s Tenure:

February 23, 2017: Yao Ming was elected as the new President of the Chinese Basketball Association.

December 17, 2022: Yao Ming was re-elected as President of the Chinese Basketball Association.

October 31, 2024: Yao Ming’s resignation as President of the Chinese Basketball Association was approved.

Reporter Kong Dexun of Ti Yu Zhou Bao wrote: In these 7 years, Yao Ming accomplished a lot, with mixed results. I believe the intentions behind most of his actions were good, such as broadening the pathway between school and professional basketball, expanding the base of the pyramid through mini-basketball, making the CBA more professional, and advancing data standardization… However, some measures may not have been suitable for our national conditions, or there were issues in the implementation process, or some goals simply cannot be achieved within 7 years.

Yesterday, I read about Zhang Gongzi’s article on player development cycles. It reminded me that Xiao Cui was discovered by Coach Li Qun in 2015, participated in the NBA Elite Plan China Training Camp in 2018, went to the NBA Academy in Australia in 2019, and began playing in the CBA in 2021. Now, he is challenging the NBA world. Yao Ming took office in 2017.

Basketball is one of the sports where individual impact on the game is the greatest. If we only look at the performance of the top-level national team, “luck” is indeed a significant factor. A star player can solve many problems. However, the role of the CBA President goes far beyond just focusing on the national team’s performance.

No matter what, someone will continue to do the work. I am just as curious and hopeful as everyone else about who will take over and what they will achieve.

Media personality Wang Shenwei wrote: The “major surgery” that Yao Ming spoke of, I never thought it would come to his direct resignation. For Yao Ming personally, it is a form of relief, but in the context of the dramatic changes in the international basketball landscape, will Chinese basketball continue to trust professionals?