US Dream Team sets example for Chinese squad

The US Dream Team is not only showing Chinese basketball players how to defend better on the court, but also set a good example off the court.

During a three-day trip in Guangzhou for a warm-up competition for the world championships in Japan in ten days, the U.S. team defeated Yao Ming-less China 119-73 and Brazil 90-86.

Only two matches were enough for the NBA players to expand their fame in China and garner more respect and marketing opportunities for the Americans.

The NBA stars took part in a couple of promotional events in Guangzhou for American food and sportswear companies as fans were excited to see these super stars and sought signatures from their idols, whom they have only watched on TV.

NBA Commissioner David Stern received one-on-one interviews with eight media organisations in three hours on Sunday, only hours after his arrival here.

Almost half of the US team members turned up in the mixed zone after China-U.S. game on Monday as the locker room was not open to the media due to security reasons.

On the contrary, the Chinese team was nowhere to be seen and the local stars, Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi, were not available for media.

Team manager and CBA's vice president Hu Jiashi faced the media alone during the only open training session on Sunday.

Yao and his teammates walked by the mixed zone to the exit after Monday's game when Lebrone James and Antawn Jamaison were interviewed by dozens of journalists.

The Chinese team refused any interview requests to Yao and Wang as well as head coach Jonas Kazlauskas.

Guard Liu Wei and forward Du Feng were the only two who had some conversation with the media on Monday because these two had to wait for Kazlauskas to return to the hotel outside the door of the post-game conference where they were caught up by some reporters.

None of the CBA sponsors held any promotional events during the three days, neither on the court or outside the stadium.

Li Yuanwei, head of the Chinese basketball association, had promised to deliver quality services for fans, media and sponsors before last season.

He could have reflected on his promise given what had happened here.

Source: Xinhua