https://www.scmp.com/rss/330889/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com China have been drawn against Japan, Australia and Taiwan in the group B of the Asia Pacific qualifiers for the 2023 Fiba Basketball World Cup, with the top three teams moving on to the next stage. Australia finished fourth at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where hosts Japan also featured in the group stage, while Taiwan and China were both absent. China’s men missed out on the Olympics in large part because of their disappointing performance at the last World Cup in 2019, where they were watched... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3147238/china-face-japan-australia-and-taiwan-fiba-world-cup-draw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3147238/china-face-japan-australia-and-taiwan-fiba-world-cup-draw?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Sep 2021 01:31:07 +0000 Filipino basketball sensation Kai Sotto is used to pressure. The towering 18-year-old is forever accompanied by his proud, basketball-obsessed homeland, taking note of his every move as he edges closer to becoming the first full-blooded Filipino to play in the NBA. Sotto is days away from one of several historic moves as he travels to California to meet his new NBA G-League Select Team teammates. The hotly tipped centre, who stands at 2.18m (7’2”), rather unconventionally opted for the G-League... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3098053/i-want-be-best-asia-filipino-basketball-prodigy-kai-sotto-begins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3098053/i-want-be-best-asia-filipino-basketball-prodigy-kai-sotto-begins?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Aug 2020 02:00:17 +0000 Considering the success of last year’s FIBA World Cup in China, the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and the next FIBA World Cup to be held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia in 2023, there is no doubt east Asia is at the heart of most things basketball. As such, the sprightly East Asia Super League (EASL) has decided to strike while the iron is hot – global pandemics aside – and put in motion plans for Asia’s first basketball “champions league”. “The idea is to take the best teams from... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3090390/champions-league-asian-basketball-why-east-asia-super-league-aims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3090390/champions-league-asian-basketball-why-east-asia-super-league-aims?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jun 2020 01:00:08 +0000 Australian basketball star Andrew Bogut has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey’s pro-Hong Kong protest tweet. Bogut, who is no stranger to adverse reaction from Chinese social media users, tweeted from his official account on Sunday. “Thanks @dmorey for taking some of the nmsl’s I was flooded with …!” he wrote on Sunday. “Enjoy the next few weeks anytime you post anything!” Former NBA player Bogut, 34, ended his post with a crying emoji and the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3031808/andrew-bogut-tells-houston-rockets-gm-daryl-morey-enjoy-next-few-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3031808/andrew-bogut-tells-houston-rockets-gm-daryl-morey-enjoy-next-few-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2019 03:54:32 +0000 China head coach Li Nan has resigned following his team’s disastrous campaign at the recent Fiba Basketball World Cup, where they failed to qualify for next year’s Olympics despite being hosts. Li offered to step down from his position on Wednesday and his resignation will be subject to approval by the General Administration of Sport, the Chinese media reported on Wednesday. The 44-year-old Li, a former national star player, was expected to resign after China finished a lowly 24th out of 32... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3027905/china-basketball-coach-li-nan-resigns-after-teams-disastrous-showing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3027905/china-basketball-coach-li-nan-resigns-after-teams-disastrous-showing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Sep 2019 09:41:21 +0000 Spain beat Argentina 95-75 to win the Fiba Basketball World Cup for the first time since 2006 on Sunday, completing a stunning campaign for a squad considered by many to be among the outsiders when the 32-team tournament began. The Spaniards scored first and never relinquished the lead, relying on swarming interior defence and superior rebounding to snuff out the offensive threat of 2004 Olympic champions Argentina. Point guard Ricky Rubio racked up 20 points and three assists and Marc Gasol and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3027391/fiba-basketball-world-cup-spain-beat-argentina-comfortably-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3027391/fiba-basketball-world-cup-spain-beat-argentina-comfortably-win?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Sep 2019 04:22:03 +0000 Basketball’s governing body Fiba will launch disciplinary proceedings against Andrew Bogut after he appeared to suggest that referees favoured Spain in Australia’s semi-final defeat at the Basketball World Cup. The outspoken 34-year-old Australian rubbed his fingers in a money gesture after a foul was called against him during Friday’s demoralising double-overtime loss in Beijing. He then swore repeatedly as he trudged off court, directing his ire at Fiba as he passed through the “mixed zone”... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3027325/fiba-basketball-world-cup-australias-andrew-bogut-be-investigated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3027325/fiba-basketball-world-cup-australias-andrew-bogut-be-investigated?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Sep 2019 09:05:29 +0000 France caused the biggest shock of the basketball World Cup in China, beating the defending champion United States 89-79 in Dongguan on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals of the 32-nation tournament. France will meet Argentina on Friday for a berth in Sunday’s final while 2006 champions Spain take on the winners of the Australia v Czech Republic quarter-final, played later on Wednesday. .@FRABasketball pick up a historic win behind a dominant performance from @rudygobert27 and are heading to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3026803/france-knock-holders-us-out-basketball-world-cup-medal-rounds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3026803/france-knock-holders-us-out-basketball-world-cup-medal-rounds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2019 14:58:41 +0000 As team China looked set for a defeat, Yao Ming appeared to be in agony. Hours later, a photo of the basketball star on the verge of tears rippled across Chinese social media as sports fans pondered the country’s prospect of making it to the Olympics. In a loss on Sunday that cost the Chinese men’s national team a direct ticket to the all-important 2020 Games, China suffered an 86 to 73 defeat to Nigeria in its final FIBA Basketball World Cup game. If the team fails to win the Olympic... https://www.scmp.com/sports/yao-ming-cries-after-national-team-suffered-fiba-world-cup-loss/article/3026350?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sports/yao-ming-cries-after-national-team-suffered-fiba-world-cup-loss/article/3026350?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Sep 2019 09:15:51 +0000 China’s men’s basketball team missed out on a Rio Olympic Games spot in front of a home crowd at the Fiba Basketball World Cup on Sunday night, sparking an angry reaction from tens of thousands of fans who pointed the finger at coach Li Nan. Despite home advantage and strong backing from the fans, China managed only two wins at the 2019 World Cup, finishing behind Asian counterparts Iran in the 17-32 classification round. Iran, who also finish with two wins, became Asia’s top team with a better... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3026291/fiba-world-cup-china-miss-out-olympic-qualification-spot-after-falling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3026291/fiba-world-cup-china-miss-out-olympic-qualification-spot-after-falling?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Sep 2019 04:18:20 +0000 Home-field advantage is an accepted truth in the sporting world, but it does not always come to pass and China’s men’s basketball team are the latest to find that out the hard way. After losing 72-59 to Venezuela on Wednesday night, the hosts of the Fiba 2019 Basketball World Cup moved on to the 17-32 place draw, missing out on the second round and the knockouts beyond that. Instead, China move on to the wooden spoon group with South Korea, Nigeria and Ivory Coast in Guangdong. They don’t even... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3025872/does-china-crashing-out-fiba-basketball-world-cup-make-them-worst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3025872/does-china-crashing-out-fiba-basketball-world-cup-make-them-worst?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Sep 2019 00:00:06 +0000 In 1996, Ma Ge watched his first live NBA game in Houston.  “It was awe-inspiring,” said Ma, 64, a retired policeman originally from China’s eastern city of Hangzhou.  “I remember feeling so small but so moved at this huge stadium,” Ma told Inkstone. “It was pure enjoyment and entertainment.”  On Wednesday night, Ma, a life-long basketball player and fan, came to a spacious, brightly-lit basketball court built by Nike near his Beijing home to watch the Chinese national basketball team.  China... https://www.scmp.com/sports/chinas-national-basketball-team-loses-front-hometown-crowd/article/3025835?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sports/chinas-national-basketball-team-loses-front-hometown-crowd/article/3025835?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Sep 2019 09:43:21 +0000 Yao Ming looked on helplessly and fans were left in tears as hosts China failed to progress to the second round of the Basketball World Cup with a 72-59 defeat to Venezuela on Wednesday. In a do-or-die battle to reach the next stage, it was the South Americans who appeared to relish silencing a vocal, packed crowd at Wukesong Arena in Beijing. And1⃣ #VENCHN Jiwei Zhao's trying to get China back in the game !#WorldGotGame https://t.co/U6RPjx3FuZ pic.twitter.com/cdPzvWK2fz — Basketball World... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3025743/yao-ming-powerless-hosts-china-flop-basketball-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3025743/yao-ming-powerless-hosts-china-flop-basketball-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Sep 2019 14:17:20 +0000 Australian basketball star Andrew Bogut has been greeted with boos by Chinese fans at the Fiba Basketball World Cup taking place in China. The Boomers played Canada in their opening World Cup game at the Dongguan Basketball Centre where Bogut’s every touch of the ball was booed by local fans, likely because of his recent comments about Chinese swimmer Sun Yang. Bogut waded into the spat between fellow Australian Mack Horton and Sun at the world championships in South Korea last month, tweeting... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3025349/sun-yang-shot-sees-andrew-bogut-booed-chinese-fans-fiba-basketball?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3025349/sun-yang-shot-sees-andrew-bogut-booed-chinese-fans-fiba-basketball?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Sep 2019 07:52:24 +0000 The Fiba Basketball World Cup begins on August 31 with 32 teams attempting to stake their claim as the best team on the planet. China is the host for this year’s tournament, which is the biggest yet – up from 24 teams in Spain in 2014. Eight games take place on the opening day, starting with Angola vs Serbia to begin the 92-game tournament. The hosts will also be in action on the first day. They take on Ivory Coast after Poland vs Venezuela tips off the action at the Cadillac Arena in Beijing,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3024254/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2019-how-watch-nba-mvp-giannis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3024254/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2019-how-watch-nba-mvp-giannis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Aug 2019 04:38:19 +0000 On behalf of the 60 million residents of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, I would like to extend the heartiest of welcomes to Team USA as they prepare to defend their championship, and hopefully their freedom, this coming week at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. And a very special welcome to China as well for two men who have redefined the genre of leadership, head coach Gregg Popovich and assistant Steve Kerr. A graduate of the US Air Force Academy, Coach Pop has won five... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3024023/why-invasion-socially-conscious-nba-coaches-and-stars-china-may?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3024023/why-invasion-socially-conscious-nba-coaches-and-stars-china-may?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Aug 2019 03:55:29 +0000 Gilas Pilipinas’ NBA star Jordan Clarkson may lose out on a World Cup place if the Philippines are denied the chance to field more than one naturalised player, coach Yeng Guiao has hinted. Guiao, speaking at a Philippines Sportswriters Forum, said ex-NBA player Andray Blatche was likely to be given priority for the August 31-September 15 tournament in China because of his size advantage against European players. Though in an ideal scenario Guiao would field both Filipino-Americans, his pledge to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3007421/gilas-pilipinas-jordan-clarkson-likely-lose-out-andray-blatche?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3007421/gilas-pilipinas-jordan-clarkson-likely-lose-out-andray-blatche?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Apr 2019 03:36:10 +0000 USA Basketball still doesn’t know which players will be wearing the red, white and blue this summer in China. Their first three opponents, however, are finally set. The Americans’ quest for an unprecedented third consecutive FIBA World Cup championship will start against the Czech Republic, followed by games against Turkey and Japan later in the group stage. The draw for the 32-team tournament was held on Saturday in Shenzhen, China, which will be one of the sites for the event that starts on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3002042/fiba-world-cup-draw-usa-draw-turkey-czech-republic-and-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3002042/fiba-world-cup-draw-usa-draw-turkey-czech-republic-and-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Mar 2019 07:58:44 +0000 Cleveland Cavaliers star Jordan Clarkson is keen to represent the Philippines at the 2019 Fiba World Cup but his presence in China depends on whether the world governing body will ease its strict eligibility rules. The 26-year-old Clarkson posted an Instagram message congratulating his Gilas Pilipinas teammates on qualifying for the August 31 to September 15 tournament, finishing off his short note with “hope to see you guys in China!”. View this post on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/2187818/jordan-clarkson-tells-gilas-pilipinas-see-you-china-will-fiba-allow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/2187818/jordan-clarkson-tells-gilas-pilipinas-see-you-china-will-fiba-allow?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Feb 2019 17:45:00 +0000 Filipinos were clamouring for NBA star Jordan Clarkson to join the party after Gilas Pilipinas qualified for this year’s Fiba World Cup by the skin of their teeth. However, Fiba eligibility rules mean the Philippines may have to choose between Clarkson and ex-NBA player Andray Bletche. Cleveland Cavaliers’ Clarkson was the star player for the Philippines in their Asian Games campaign in August but has failed to wear the national colours since because of his commitments to the NBA team. However,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/2187524/gilas-pilipinas-fans-call-jordan-clarkson-after-their-heroes-thrash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/2187524/gilas-pilipinas-fans-call-jordan-clarkson-after-their-heroes-thrash?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Feb 2019 01:24:30 +0000