REGENSBURG (David Hein's Eye on the Future) - A lot has been written this summer about how China's youth movement has really pushed the national team program forward. But the country is missing a chance to get even better through the CBA - no, not that CBA.

Many of China's young stars from the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship winning team have already cut their teeth in the Chinese Basketball Association. However, another CBA - the Canarias Basketball Academy - is actually doing quite a bit of work that indirectly could help improve China's chances at international tournaments such as the 2015 FIBA Asia U16 Championship and beyond.

The Canarias Basketball Academy, located on the Spanish Canary Islands off the western coast of Africa, is an institute featuring a comprehensive training approach with the stated goal "to develop the best basketball players in the world, at all levels".

So, how does an academy of about 100 players in Las Palmas which has sent about 70 players to NCAA basketball in the United States connect to China? 

Well, more than a handful of Chinese players have migrated to the Spanish CBA looking to get the intensive training approach that helped players from throughout mainly Europe land at high level U.S. college programs such as Maryland, Louisville, Florida State, Rutgers, Valparaiso, St. John’s and Northwestern 

Chris Tang went from high school in the United States to the Canarias academy to the University of California at Riverside last season. This season the 1996-born guard will be playing for Chinese CBA club Jiangsu Tongxi.

Wang Yixiong played last season with Canarias and the 1998-born center improved all season, especially at the Belgrade Adidas Next Generation Tournament, where the CBA team finished fifth. Wang got better over the course of the three days of action and you could tell his confidence grew immensely over that time - playing against some of the best players in Europe. 

But neither Tang nor Wang were considered for Chinese youth national teams, despite their experience of playing abroad. 

One of the leaders of China's U16 team currently in action at the 2015 FIBA Asia U16 Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia, is Bai Haotian, a guard who played in this year's Jordan Brand Classic International Game and finished with 4 points, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal and 1 assist in 20 minutes.

For many people, his experience of playing with and against top level players such as Rui Hachimura, Jaylen Hoard, Onuralp Bitim, Njegos Sikiras, Darko Bajo and Simi Shittu helped Bai see where he stands in the world of basketball. 

Another player missing from China's team in Jakarta is Wang Xiaoyi, who was a teammate of Wang Yixiong at the 2014 Nike All-Asia Camp. The player also known as Allen Wang, played at the 1995-and-under event as 1999-born underage player. He has been with the Canarias academy since December 2012 where he is a 2.00m point guard. CBA team leaders are expecting him to take a step forward this season. He won’t turn 16 years until December.

Another 1999-born Chinese at the Canarias academy is 2.09m giant Li Shengzhe, who is embarking on his second season in Las Palmas. Li is a massive man and the work he’s putting him in - excellent older and more skilled players - is making him better and better.

Strange enough, none of the Canarias Basketball Academy's Chinese players over the years have played for China's youth national teams. It would seem that with the likes of Allen Wang and Li that might have changed. Perhaps it's a question of the Chinese officials not wanting to promote kids playing outside of China. 

But if these 1999-born youngsters progress the way that many of the CBA's other young players have, the Chinese national basketball officials would have no choice but to bring them in. 

And that would mean that two CBAs - the Chinese Basketball Association and the Canarias Basketball Academy - are doing a major part in advancing Chinese basketball.

David Hein

FIBA

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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