CHN – Zhang Bo back in training but ‘not part of national team’ yet

BEIJING (2010 FIBA World Championship) – Zhang Bo is back in practice, but not as a part of the national team.

China coach Bob Donewald, who is getting the Far East giants ready for the FIBA World Championship in Turkey, threw the promising youngster of Bayi off the team last month for missing an 11pm curfew but has allowed him to rejoin his China teammates in training.

"Zhang Bo is returning to the national team, not as a member, but for practice,” Donewald said in remarks published on cbachina.163.com.

“So he cannot, like his teammates, wear the national team uniform in training. This is, in a sense, the second phase of punishment for Zhang Bo.”

Donewald, who was appointed coach in April, had said the China team would be “dead in the water” if they did not have discipline.

The coach had liked Zhang Bo’s efforts in practice and even felt he might, because of his defense, challenge for a place in the starting line-up.

As it is, it seems the best Zhang Bo can hope for is a return to wearing the China shirt before the end of the year at the Asian Games.

China will play in Group C at the FIBA World Championship in Ankara against hosts Turkey, Greece, Russia, Puerto Rico and Ivory Coast.

FIBA