From Reuters via the New York Times:
Houston Rockets center Yao Ming believes more of his Chinese team mates need to gain experience abroad for the national team to be competitive at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, state media reported on Tuesday.
China finished a disappointing 11th at the world championships in Japan after being knocked out 95-64 by eventual runners-up Greece last week.
Yao lamented his team mates’ lack of strength and courage after China crashed out of the worlds, and remarked in media reports last week that Chinese basketball was too inward-looking. But he conceded it was “impossible” for domestic clubs hungry for national success to send key players to foreign leagues, Xinhua news agency reported. [Full Text]
Also see China Daily’s China’s next Yao says no to NBA draft and Yi, NBA’s next Yao? and not-so-successful NBA gigs of Menke Bateer and Wang Zhizhi
