In this story, Yao thinks it’s time that Chinese players go overseas to improve…

“We cannot make enough progress by the national league alone: it’s like trying to build a cart without knowing how.”

“Chinese players have to go overseas to play. I mean, they should go there alone and fight for their positions on the teams. This is the only way to lift the overall level of Chinese basketball.”

The Chinese coach Jonas Kazlauskas adds…

“It would be good for the team to go to Europe and play against a European-style defence.”

We like how Yao and Jonas are challenging the status quo. If Team USA can revamp how they make their team better, surely the Chinese will, too.

Interesting how strange some of the theories are revolving around China’s loss to Greece the other day, knocking them out of the World Championships. The Beijing News says Yao was getting so much adulation for playing so well in the tournament, it exhausted him to the point that he couldn’t get off more than 5 shots in that loss. Whatever.

You can read more about some of the recent headlines appearing in Chinese newspapers in this Houston Chronicle article.

The good thing is that Yao will be able to get away from all the arm-chair coaching soon when he returns to Houston on September 6th to prepare for training camp.