Chinese Basketball Association

Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) Current season or competition: 2011–12 CBA season Logo CBA Sport Basketball Founded 1995 Claim to fame "The pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Asia" Inaugural season 1995–96 No. of teams 17 Country(ies)  China Continent FIBA Asia (Asia) Most recent champion(s) Guangdong Southern Tigers (7th title) Most titles Bayi Rockets (8 titles) Official website www.CBA.gov.cn Chinese Basketball Association Traditional Chinese 中國男子籃球職業聯賽 Simplified Chinese 中国男子篮球职业联赛 Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Zhōngguó Nánzǐ Lánqiú Zhíyè Liánsài - Wade–Giles Chungkuo Nantzu3 Lanch'iu Chihyeh Liensai - IPA [tʂʊ́ŋkwɔ̌ nǎntsɨ̀ lǎntɕʰjǒʊ tʂɨ̌yɤ̂ ljɛ̌nsâɪ]

The Chinese Basketball Association (Chinese: 中国男子篮球职业联赛; pinyin: Zhōngguó Nánzǐ Lánqiú Zhíyè Liánsài), often abbreviated to the CBA, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in China.

The league is commonly known as the CBA, and this acronym is often used even in Chinese. There is also a Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) for women.

The CBA should also not be confused with the National Basketball League (NBL), which is a semi-professional "Division 2" minor league.

A few CBA players, such as Yao Ming, Wang Zhizhi, Yi Jianlian, Sun Yue, and Mengke Bateer, have also played in the NBA. Conversely, a limited number of foreign players are allowed for each CBA team. Notable players include NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury.

Background

The league began play in 1995. However, the CBA as the name of a league should not be confused with the "Chinese Basketball Association" organisation, which was founded in June 1956 [1]. 1996 James Hodges was one of the first Americans to play in this League. Today, the regulating body for basketball in China is the Chinese Basketball Management Center (Chinese: 国家体育总局篮球管理中心; pinyin: Guójiā Tǐyù Zǒngjú Lánqiú Guǎnlǐ Zhōngxīn).

Other Chinese basketball leagues include the National Basketball League (NBL), the Chinese University Basketball Association (CUBA) and the Chinese High School Basketball League (CHBL) [2]. At one time there was a league called the Chinese New Basketball Alliance (CNBA) [3], one of whose teams was the Beijing Sea Lions, but it lasted only one season (1996-97) [4].

Team names

For a full list of teams, see Category:Chinese Basketball Association teams.

The full name of each team usually consists of three parts, in the following order:

1. A geographic designation (except in the case of the Bayi or "August First" team). Currently all of these are province-level designations (either a province or a Chinese municipality).
2. A corporate sponsor name; this sponsor may change from year to year or perhaps even in mid-season.
3. A nickname, such as the name of an animal. This rarely changes.

This can sometimes lead to confusion about what name to use in English because many variants may be seen. Team names are usually abbreviated (in Chinese or English), so that either the corporate sponsor name or the nickname is used interchangeably (rarely both). Also, the nickname can sometimes be translated into English in more than one way; also the corporate sponsor name can change frequently over time.

Changes in nickname are rare, but occasionally happen, as when the Shandong team changed their nickname from the "Flaming Bulls" to the "Lions".

In previous years, the title of the league itself was available for corporate naming sponsorship. In 1999–2000 and 2000–2001 it was known as the "Hilton League", in 2001–2002 and 2002–2003 it was the "Motorola League", and in 2003–2004 it was sponsored by China Unicom. However, this corporate league title was not always used in the news media, and this sponsorship practice was discontinued at the start of the 2004–2005 season. [5]

Current clubs

CBA Championship Series

In 2005, the league unveiled the "Mou Zuoyun Cup" (牟作云杯 Móu Zuòyún bēi), which was awarded for the first time to the winning team in the finals. Mou Zuoyun (born 1913) was a member of the Chinese basketball team at the 1936 Summer Olympics, and later served as a coach and a pioneer in building Chinese basketball. [6]

Year	Champion	Result	Runners-up	Notes
1995-96	Bayi Rockets	3 - 0	Guangdong Southern Tigers	Best of five series used for 10 years
1996-97	Bayi Rockets	3 - 0	Liaoning Hunters
1997-98	Bayi Rockets	3 - 0	Liaoning Hunters
1998-99	Bayi Rockets	3 - 0	Liaoning Hunters
1999-2000	Bayi Rockets	3 - 0	Shanghai Sharks
2000-01	Bayi Rockets	3 - 1	Shanghai Sharks
2001-02	Shanghai Sharks	3 - 1	Bayi Rockets
2002-03	Bayi Rockets	3 - 1	Guangdong Southern Tigers
2003-04	Guangdong Southern Tigers	3 - 1	Bayi Rockets
2004-05	Guangdong Southern Tigers	3 - 2	Jiangsu Dragons
2005-06	Guangdong Southern Tigers	4 - 1	Bayi Rockets	Best of seven series used
2006-07	Bayi Rockets	4 - 1	Guangdong Southern Tigers
2007-08	Guangdong Southern Tigers	4 - 1	Liaoning Hunters
2008-09	Guangdong Southern Tigers	4 - 1	Xinjiang Flying Tigers
2009-10	Guangdong Southern Tigers	4 - 1	Xinjiang Flying Tigers
2010-11	Guangdong Southern Tigers	4 - 2	Xinjiang Flying Tigers

CBA Finals appearances

Num	Team	W	L	PCT	Notes
11	Bayi Rockets	8	3	.727	Made every final from 1995-96 to 2003-04.
10	Guangdong Southern Tigers	7	3	.700	Made every final from 2002-03 to 2010-2011.
3	Shanghai Sharks	1	2	.333
4	Liaoning Hunters	0	4	.000
3	Xinjiang Flying Tigers	0	3	.000
1	Jiangsu Dragons	0	1	.000

Records

Game

• points: 71, Andre Emmett, 2009–2010
• 3-pointers: 15, Leon Rodgers, 2008–2009
• rebounds: 38, Garth Joseph, 2001–2002
• dunks: 12, James Hodges, 1998–1999
• assists: 28, Li Qun, 1999–2000
• steals: 13, Ju Weisong, 1995–1996; 13, Zhang Yongjun, 1996–1997; 13, Hu Xuefeng, 2004–2005
• blocks: 13, Yao Ming, 2000–2001; 13, Herve Lamizana, 2009–2010; 13, Sean Williams, 2009–2010
• performance: 49 points (FG 21/21, FT 7/12), 17 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 6 dunks, 6 blocks, Yao Ming, 2000–2001

Season

• points: 1266, Anthony Myles, 2005–2006
• 3-pointers: 189, Yu Junkai, 2004–2005
• rebounds: 727, Olumide Oyedeji, 2004–2005
• dunks: 140, Lorenzo Coleman, 2005–2006
• assists: 325, Hu Xuefeng, 2004–2005
• steals: 246, Hu Xuefeng, 2004–2005
• blocks: 126, Yao Ming, 1999–2000

Career

• points: 8387, Liu Yudong
• 3-pointers: 1095, Li Nan
• rebounds: 4111, Mengke Bateer
• dunks: 455, Jason Dixon
• assists: 1654, Hu Xuefeng
• steals: 1193, Hu Xuefeng
• blocks: 696, Wang Zhizhi

Team

• points:
  • one team: Bayi Rockets 163, Nanjing Army 84
  • both teams: Liaoning Hunters 141, Guangdong Hongyuan 146

Imports

Imports that lasted more than one season in the CBA:

• James Hodges, Liaoning Hunters 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, Jiangsu Nangang 1997-98
• Ernest Brown, Liaoning Hunters 2004-05, 2006-07
• Babacar Camara, Jilin Northeast Tigers 2005-06, 2006-07
• Alex Carcamo, Shenzhen 2000-01, Guangdong Southern Tigers 2001-02
• Lorenzo Coleman, Xinjiang Flying Tigers 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07
• Peter Cornell, Zhejiang Horses 2003-04, Guangdong Southern Tigers 2004-05
• Brandon Crump, Shaanxi Kylins 2005-06, 2006-07
• Carlos Dixon, Jiangsu Dragons 2005-06, 2006-07
• Jason Dixon, Guangdong Southern Tigers 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07
• Ed Elisma, Shandong Lions 2003-04, Henan Dragons 2004-05
• Terrance Green, Guangdong Southern Tigers 2005-06, 2006-07
• Rod Gregoire, Jilin Northeast Tigers 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06
• Simeon Haley, Jiangsu Dragons 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05
• Stephen Hart, Shanghai Sharks 2001-02, Jiangsu Dragons 2002-03
• Chris Herren, Beijing Ducks 2002-03, Jiangsu Dragons 2003-04
• Garth Joseph, Shaanxi Kylins 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05
• Justin Love, Beijing Aoshen Olympian 2002-03, 2003-04
• Tuck Mack, Shandong Lions 2004-05, 2006-07
• Gabe Muoneke, Beijing Aoshen Olympian 2003-04, Zhejiang Lions 2006-07, Yunnan Bulls 2008-09
• Anthony Myles, Dongguan Leopards 2005-06, 2006-07
• Reggie Okosa, Shanghai Sharks 2005-06, 2006-07
• Olumide Oyedeji, Beijing Ducks 2003-04, 2004-05, Liaoning Hunters 2007-08, Shanxi Zhongyu 2008-09
• Chris Porter, Fujian Sturgeons 2005-06, 2006-07
• Laron Profit, Guangdong Southern Tigers 2002-03, 2003-04
• Kit Rhymer, Henan Dragons 2005-06, Fujian Sturgeons 2006-07
• Soumaila Samake, Zhejiang Horses 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07
• Alex Scales, Jiangsu Dragons 2002-03, Shanghai Sharks 2004-05
• Shawnelle Scott, Jiangsu Dragons, Jilin Northeast Tigers 2004-05
• God Shammgod, Zhejiang Horses 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, Shanxi Dragons 2006-07
• Mark Strickland, Zhejiang Horses 2002-03, 2003-04
• Damon Stringer, Shanghai Sharks 2000-01, Shaanxi Kylins 2001-02
• Andre Reid, Liaoning Hunters 1998-99, 2000-2002

See also

• Sport in the People's Republic of China
• China men's national basketball team
• China women's national basketball team
• National Basketball League (NBL)
• Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA)
• Chinese University Basketball Association (CUBA)

External links

• Official CBA website (Chinese)
• CBA: an American experience
• Sport tours in China