WOW! Wang is AWOL

[Hoopsmeister]

<< i don't see the chinese gov't changing their mindset because wang wants to stay in the u.s. what is more likely to happen would be the chinese gov't not allowing anyone else to come play b'ball over here. >>



That is one possible, but unlikely result. Remember that Yao and Wang are only one manifestation of an overall government policy that China has been pursuing for several years. China wants to be seen as a leading nation. Sports is a minor aspect of that but still a relevent one. Wang's current struggle is with certain bureaucrats in charge of basketball. Those bureaucrats in turn answer to bigger bureaucrats in charge of sports in general who answer to even bigger bureaucrats. And the higher-ups are probably less worried about whether one player shows up for team practices than for how their country is perceived internationally when it comes to premier sports leagues looking at their athletes, Olympic commitees planning events, etc. So the mid-level bureaucrats Wang is trying to do something right now will answer to bigger fish if they mess it up.

That is probably why Wang is actually being low-key about this--not making some kind of public demands for asylum, not even arguing with the Chinese, just avoiding their letters. The major focus of all that bureaucracy right now is Yao. They want him to be the 1st pick because it validates their goals and it makes lots of money for Chinese sports. If they show an inability to be reasonable with Wang, it hurts Yao's chances.



<< &quot;IF&quot; the contract expires this summer, this incident will do nothing to help further negotiations between chinese player, the nba, and the chinese gov't. >>



The NBA doesn't have an agreement with China and doesn't plan on having one. It does have an agreement with FIBA of which China is a member. Then individual players can have agreements with individual NBA teams within the guidelines established by that FIBA agreement.

[Murphy3]

i don't agree at all with your assessment of how the chinese gov't will/would respond.
i see nothing positive out of the way they would respond.

[KEVIN_NY]

Hoops, i couldn't state it as clearly as you did but that's exactly what I thought.

[Hoopsmeister]

<< i don't agree at all with your assessment of how the chinese gov't will/would respond.
i see nothing positive out of the way they would respond. >>



Maybe, of course that's why my first comment on the thread is that there isn't enough information right now to have real opinions. We are all just speculating. I'm giving my best guess but if it turns out your way or something completely different I won't be surprised.

[Murphy3]

it is completely speculation at this point.
however, there's nothing that i can see from what the chinese gov't has done and been about in the not to distant past that would suggest to me that this wouldn't change their ideas about allowing athletes to leave.

[Mavy]

F the commie bastards! If they want their players to play here they need to let them come and go as the player sees fit. They are treating their players like slaves to the state...which is basically what they are. The U.S. and the NBA should not be supporting this.

[Murphy3]

for the record kevin_ny, yours and hoops opinions were hardly based upon the same ideas... the conclusion was similar, however, how you got to that conclusion was vastly different

[KEVIN_NY]

<< for the record kevin_ny, yours and hoops opinions were hardly based upon the same ideas... the conclusion was similar, however, how you got to that conclusion was vastly different >>


Murphy don't be ridiculous. For understanding what's going on in my head, I am in a slightly better position than you are.
But seriously, sometimes my English did a bad job, I have to admit that.

[Murphy3]

i'm not being ridiculous.. what hoops used to support his argument vs. what you used to base your argument is quite a bit different

[Drbio]

This is silly. Wang is trying to do what is best for him. I hope it happens. I hope the Chinese dont fuck other people for Wangs decision though.

[Drbio]

From ESPN.....



DALLAS -- Chinese basketball officials have a question: Where's Wang?

Free-agent center Wang Zhizhi failed to report to China for mandatory training with his national team, The Dallas Morning News reported in its Thursday editions.

Wang, who was a reserve center for the Dallas Mavericks the last two seasons, also has not contacted the Mavericks since the end of the season, The News reported.

&quot;We have called and gone to Wang Zhizhi's house every day, at least twice a day, to try to locate him,&quot; Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told the newspaper. &quot;We have been unable to do so for the past several weeks. We do not know where he is or how to get ahold of him.&quot;

The 7-foot-1, 255-pound center has missed two deadlines set by the Chinese Basketball Association for him to return to China, unidentified NBA sources told the newspaper.

That has prompted speculation that he may be thinking of defecting. That could complicate the Houston Rockets' negotiations to make 7-foot-5 Chinese center Yao Ming the NBA's top pick in the coming draft.

Wang's new U.S.-based adviser, Simon Chan, told the newspaper that his client is working out in Los Angeles and preparing for summer league play. However, Chan said Wang still intends to play for the Chinese national team in the World Championship games in Indianapolis Aug. 29-Sept. 8.

Cuban says he's interested in re-signing Wang.