CHINESE teenage sensation Wang Zhizhi fulfils a life-long dream of playing in the Olympics next month - some consolation for being denied permission to play in the NCAA.
Wang, who turns 19 next month, received a huge blow when his club Bayi - the unbeaten Chinese National Basketball League champions - refused to release him to play in the US college system.
Yet the national centre will still get the chance to play against some of the world's best players in his Olympics debut as China will meet the formidable USA 'Dream Team' in their opening game in Atlanta.
Wang and the China team have been in Hong Kong the past week for the five-team Super Commercial Cup.
'This is a great chance for me to learn from the Americans, though I can't play there in the near future,' said Wang who was selected to the World Youth All-Star Team in April - the first Chinese ever given that honour.
'Although our chance in Atlanta is slight, our main goal is to get international experience as we will be facing the strongest teams in the world. I still have a lot to learn, especially psychologically. I was quite nervous throughout the Super Commercial Cup and have made quite a few mistakes.' Basketball is in Wang's blood as his parents used to play for China at national level.