KUALA LUMPUR (Mageshwaran's AsiaScope) - Chinese basketball is going through a rather unusual, but altogether welcome, phenomenon these days. The coaches of the national teams - both men's and women's - are the absolute bosses these days. There is only one superstar in the team, which is the team itself and there is only one leader, which incidentally is the coach itself.

I agree these statements are, as they should be, normal in many parts of the basketball world. But those analyzing Chinese basketball from close quarters would certainly agree that this is a refreshing change to the personality-based teams China has proffered repeatedly for close to two decades now.

The tendency to build the team around a single individual or a small group of individuals may well have been justified given that China did indeed have two of the greatest players of all time in Yao Ming and Miao Lijie donning the national colors. The two legends were capable of carrying the fortunes of the team single-handedly and it was quite natural for the entire team to be built around them.

Some may say it was this tendency to work around individuals that stopped China from achieving more in international basketball outside of Asia, but that's a debate that will go on forever. Let's leave it there.

That the reality on hand for Chinese basketball is revamp, is a well-repeated statement - including in this column. In fact it's become a no-brainer.
Given that reality, which cannot be tied to time and results, the task of coaches Gong Luming and Tom Maher is easy and difficult in one go.

Easy because the coaches have the latitude to work without the pressure of being forced to pick certain players even if they don't fit into scheme of things for the long-term.

But difficult since the goal is long-term it wouldn't be easy to explain the reasoning and rationale behind the decisions and the consequences.

The situation can't be more unenviable for Gong Luming and Maher.

The former has an onerous task of regaining much of the credibility for the men's team after the disaster at last year's 27th FIBA Asia Championship in Manila, Philippines.

The 57-year-old surely knows a thing or two about the need for a team-based approach having helmed China's first entry to the Quarter-Finals of an Olympics - at the 1996 Atlanta Games - and at a time when the name of a certain Yao Ming was yet unheard of.

Gong Luming has gone about his business with much focus and commitment and his approach to give youngsters - like Zhou Qi and Li Muhao - substantial court-time in the ongoing Sino-Australian challenge has spelt out the message.

Maher's task is more on the court, and fortunately, doesn't have the distractions of the men's team. The legendary Aussie too has shown a similar approach rotating his roster all around in the three international series he has played - one at home against Cuba and two more in Europe more recently.

The absence of Zhao Shuang on the tour to Europe did raise a few hackles - in my opinion unnecessarily - in the Chinese media, but Maher has been crystal-clear in his speech, thoughts and action.

Zhao Shuang is surely one of the bigger stars to have emerged in Chinese women's basketball in the post-Miao era, but then the call on whether she makes it to the team should solely rest on Maher.

Only by continuing to give support to Gong Luming and Maher can China continue the path of revival in the right direction.

The success reaped by the two coaches is for the Chinese national teams, after all!

So long…

S Mageshwaran

FIBA Asia

FIBA's columnists write on a wide range of topics relating to basketball that are of interest to them. The opinions they express are their own and in no way reflect those of FIBA.

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