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Wang Zhizhi to Make Historical NBA Debut for Asians
By signing a two-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, Chinese center Wang Zhizhi is set to make a historical debut as the first Asian player to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the most competitive basketball league in the world.
Wang, 7-0, was originally selected in the 36th overall by the Mavericks in the second round of the 1999 NBA Draft. One of China 's most promising basketball players, Wang has earned the attention of the basketball world with excellent performances in each of the past two Olympic Games.
At the 2000 Olympic Games, he averaged a team-leading 13.5 ppg and added five rebounds while playing only 26.8 minutes per game. He shot 53.7 percent from the field and 90 percent from the free throw line. He scored a team-high 13 points against the United States in the only game the two countries played.
The giant center led China in scoring in three of the six games, including a team-high 19 points in a 75-60 win over New Zealand, notched a team-high 10 rebounds in a loss to France. In the 1996 Olympic Games, he averaged 11.1 points and 5.6 rebounds.
This past season, Wang led the Rockets to their sixth straight Chinese Basketball Association Championship and was named a league All-Star. He averaged 24.9 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.77 blocked shots. In the championship series, he averaged 27.5 points and 11 rebounds.
In the 1999-2000 season, he was named regular season, final and All-Star Game MVP of the Chinese Basketball Association and won the Slam Dunk contest.
He was named one of the "50 Top Stars of New China Basketball" since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 at the CBA All-Star Game in April of 1999. He led the national team to victory in the Asian Basketball Championship (ABC). In 1998-99, Wang ranked first in blocked shots (63), third in scoring (656 points), fourth in slam dunks (36) and eighth in rebounds (184).
In 1998, Wang was named to the All-Star team for the third consecutive time as he led the Rockets to their third straight Chinese Basketball Association Championship, averaging 22.2 points, 9.3 rebounds and three blocked shots.
In 1997, Wang was named to the All-Star team for the second straight year, leading the Rockets to their second straight Chinese Basketball Association Championship, averaging 16.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocked shots.
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