5 Best Chinese Basketball Players

Counting down the top 5 Chinese basketball players is an interesting look at the National Basketball Association and the international influence China has made. The five best Chinese basketball players represent a cross section of China. Admittedly, only two of the five have made a noticeable impact on basketball but this is only the beginning of the influence China can have on basketball.

The five best Chinese basketball players are:

1. Yao Ming – Shanghai; Houston Rockets. Ming is an all-star Chinese sensation. He was a number one draft pick with well more than 400 starts under his belt. This seasoned veteran averages nineteen points a game with better than 83 percent at the free throw line. This big man is truly the heart and soul of Chinese basketball and has paved the way for a generation of aspiring ballers.NbaNba
2. Yi Jianlian – He Shan; New Jersey Nets. Jianlian boasts more than 150 games in his three year career. Drafted seventh in 2007, by the Milwaukee Bucks and subsequently traded to the Nets in 2008, Yi has found a home as one a power forward. He has proven skills as a scorer and rebounder. BBBb
3. Mengke Bateer – Inner Mongolia; Denver Nuggets. Bateer is an undrafted player who made a brief name for himself in the Western Conference as a center for the Denver Nuggets before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs. Mengke’s tour in the NBA ended after two more seasons with the Toronto Raptors. He continues to play basketball in China for the Beijing Ducks.
4. Wang Zhizhi – Beijing; Dallas Mavericks. Zhizhi was a second round, 36th pick overall in the 2001 draft. He played center for the Dallas Mavericks before being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2001. Wang started only one game in his career and averaged five minutes of play in his career, which ended in 2005 with the Miami Heat. Wang plays basketball in China for the Bayi Rockets where he is enjoying a promising career.
5. Sun Yue – Hebei; Los Angeles Lakers. Yue was a second round draft pick in 2001 as a small forward. While with the Lakers, Yue averaged a little more than three minutes a game. Though he has shown promise as a shooter, the star-studded class of the Lakers limited his opportunities. Yue is still active in the NBA but most recently was traded to the New York Knicks. http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=Sun_Yue