Wang Welcomes Chance to Pursue NBA Career with Clippers

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, October 23, 2002

Wang Welcomes Chance to Pursue NBA Career with Clippers

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Chinese Center Joins Clippers

Wang Zhizhi is looking forward to the future with the Los Angeles Clippers and remains convinced his decision to focus on his National Basketball Association career is correct, although it provoked the ire of Chinese basketball officials.

While compatriot Yao Ming was welcomed to Houston this week with the blessing of the China Basketball Association, Wang's deal with the Clippers was done without the input of Chinese officials.

"We didn't find it necessary," said Elgin Baylor, Clippers vice president for basketball operations. "We had the same take on it as the league office, that he's a free agent, he's a basketball player. That's the way we approached it."

Wang's contract with his previous team, the Dallas Mavericks, had stipulated that he return for national team duty after the season ended. Wang angered the CBA and Dallas by staying in the States and playing in a summer pro league.

He did travel north to Oakland in August when the Chinese team was preparing for the World Championships in Indianapolis, but the CBA still declined to let him play in the championships.

Earlier this month the CBA formally dismissed him from the national team for "indifference to the interest of the nation".

"Sometimes you can't satisfy everyone. Deep down in my mind I know I've done the best thing," Wang said through an interpreter, explaining that without more NBA experience he couldn't take his game to a higher level, something that would eventually benefit Chinese basketball as well.

"This has been a long story," he said. "It was going to be my third NBA season and I hadn't had an opportunity to participate in one training camp, and I think at this moment in my career training camp is important if I am going to grow as a basketball player."

But the 2.15-metre (7ft 1in) Wang, who began playing for China at the age of 17, said he still loved his country.

"There might be some talk that I don't love my country, but I really love my country," he said. "Sometimes a mother and son might have disagreements, but that doesn't mean the son doesn't love the mother."

At Wang's first official press conference as a Clipper, Baylor and coach Alvin Gentry were keen to move the questions onto the topic of basketball, and how Wang would fit into a team that last season notched its most victories in nearly a decade.

"We knew he'd be a good prospect for our team," Baylor said. "He's still learning, still developing his game."

Baylor said Wang's average of 5.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in 55 games for Dallas last season might not be overly impressive. But he said Wang's average of 10 minutes a game didn't give him ample opportunity to do more.

"When you only play 10 minutes a game you don't get an opportunity to play 10 minutes in a row. You're playing a couple of minutes at a time, so naturally you're not going to be as productive," Baylor said.

"We think he's an agile player for his size, he passes the ball very well, he runs the floor well. We think he's going to be a very good addition to this team."

While the Mavericks used Wang mostly outside, the Clippers hope to utilize not only his outside shooting ability but also his size inside.

Gentry said that so far the language barrier hasn't been a problem as he tries to integrate Wang into the team.

"He's got a real good concept of basketball," Gentry said. "I think he understands the game well so he picked up a lot of things today that I thought he would be behind in, but he was able to pick them up so I think he's going to be fine."

Wang, for his part, said his only aim now is to become a better basketball player.

He said he would welcome a chance to play for China at the Beijing Olympics, but wouldn't fret over it since it was beyond his control.

He skirted questions on whether he hoped to stay in the United States permanently, or if he had in fact taken any steps to achieve that.

"Right now, I just want to be the best basketball player I can," he said.

Source: agencies

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