65 players prepare to win roster spots with basketball teams China

From english.people.com.cn
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Sixty five players featuring several current Chinese Basketball Association stars and recent National Basketball Association (NBA) draft choices will vie for 28 roster spots to play in China.

They will compete for the positions during the third annual Chinese Men's Professional Basketball League (CBA) player tryout camp and will be drafted at the United States Basketball Academy's (USBA) training facility near Eugene, Ore., July 28 through August 3.

"We've assembled an outstanding group of talented players with excellent professional experience here in America and abroad who want to play in China," said Bruce O'Neil, CEO and founder of the USBA. "The tryout camp will be highly competitive. Outstanding team play and a solid skill set will determine which players are picked on draft day."

Leading the list of talented players coming to the tryout and draft include Shanghai Sharks star Reggie Okosa from Virginia Commonwealth University, who led the CBA in rebounding with 14.7 rebounds per game and was fourth in scoring at 27.1 points per game; Fujian player Tyrone Washington from Mississippi State, who was third in scoring at 27.3 points per game and third in rebounding at 12.6; and Rod Gregoire (Central Oklahoma) playing for Jilin, who was fourth in the CBA in assists per game at 4.7.

They will be joined by several former second-round NBA picks, including forwards Rod Grizzard, chosen in 2002 by Washington and Galen Young, 6-7, picked in 1999 by Milwaukee; Ken Johnson, 6-11, center, tapped in 2001 by Miami; God Shammgod, 6-0, guard, drafted in 1997 by Washington; and Marc Davis, 6-7, forward, chosen by Minnesota in 1997.

Through daily games and workouts players will have the opportunity to showcase their talent and teamwork to the coaches and general managers of the 15 CBA teams. On August 3, all players and team officials will gather in the USBA Great Hall for a four-round player draft.

For each team, at most two players will negotiate and sign contracts on draft day and be placed immediately on the team's active roster, while the other two players will be on the team's reserve list, ready for call-up in case of injury to one of the other foreign players.

CBA teams each are allowed two active foreign players on their 12-man rosters. If they are chosen on draft day, players are required to commit to their new team and sign a contract before they leave the USBA or they will not play in the CBA next season.

Since 2003, the CBA has contracted with the USBA to create the player draft and replacement player personnel system. Members of the CBA management team will attend this session and will work with USBA staff to administer all aspects of the player draft and player personnel system. The draft is one of several initiatives the USBA and the CBA are creating to improve the quality of basketball for the 300 million basketball players and fans in China.

The USBA's advisory board and faculty include many of the world's most respected coaches and former players. Legendary coach John Wooden, Pete Newell, Bob Hill, Arvydas Sabonis, Bill Cartwright, Rick Barry, Dale Brown, Jim Harrick, George Karl, Ted Owens and Yeoh Choo Hock (secretary general of FIBA-Asia) top the list of more than 40 eminent basketball experts associated with the USBA.

The USBA is one of the world's leaders in basketball education and coach-player services. Founded in 1990, the academy serves as a training facility for national and professional basketball teams of China, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Venezuela as well as teams from all over the world.