CHN – Guo receives Kazlauskas’ backing to become next China coach

BEIJING (Olympics) - China made it to the quarter-finals of the Olympics for the second straight time this summer thanks in large part to the hard work of Jonas Kazlauskas.

Now the Lithuanian boss is hoping that one of his valuable assistants with the national team, Guo Shiqiang, will be handed the reins.

Kazlauskas has decided to return to Europe and he is backing Guo, who has also done an impressive job with CBA runners-up Liaoning, to become the new China coach.

Guo was a player on the China team coached by Del Harris and Kazlauskas at the 2004 Olympics.

"Guo Shiqiang has helped us a lot during the two Olympic Games,” Kazlauskas said.

“Now he's a coach himself, and has been named CBA Coach of the Year for two consecutive years.

“The first year he was awarded together with Adiljan Dijiang, and he was the best this year. He brought Liaoning from the seventh place to the second, which is not easy.

“I can see he's been making progress. In my opinion, he is the important candidate of next Chinese head coach."

FIBA