by sportswriters Li Bowen, Wang Jingyu
BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- "Young players, you are the future of Chinese basketball. Surpass your predecessors and win glory for our nation!" said basketball icon Gong Xiaobin at the 2024 Chinese Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Sunday at Tsinghua University.
The event, themed "Legacy Through Generations," honored nine basketball luminaries while inspiring the next generation of Chinese athletes.
Gong, known for the scar on his forehead from the 1998 Asian Games "bloody battle" against South Korea, urged young players to embrace international competition. "Don't limit yourselves to domestic leagues. Only by competing worldwide can you truly represent China," he said, as Yao Ming, Wang Zhizhi, and other legends looked on.
Among the inductees were four-time FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup competitor and three-time Olympian Miao Lijie, alongside trailblazer Yang Jie, recognized as outstanding female athletes. Miao, 43, who was also inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame earlier this year, reflected on the 2012 London Olympics as her proudest moment. Despite battling injuries, she reinvented herself as a playmaker.
"As team captain, I fought through severe gastroenteritis and a recurring back injury before the Games. I told my teammates: 'This time, I'll be your rock. Play fearlessly!'" Miao said.
The former WNBA champion also shared her perspective on the game's evolution. "Mature athletes shouldn't obsess over scoring in their prime. True growth comes from adapting-knowing what your team needs at every stage of your career," she said.
The ceremony paid special tribute to 91-year-old Yang Jie, a founding member of New China's first women's national team. Unable to attend, she received her honors through Miao, symbolizing a passing of the torch. Yang's legacy lives on through her grandson, Qi Lin, a CBA Xinjiang Flying Tigers star, who recently wore sneakers marked "No. 5" (her national team number) and "No. 11" (his own) during a game.
The event concluded with past inductees, including Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi, joining the new honorees onstage. This third annual induction brings the Hall of Fame's total to 42 individuals and three collectives, cementing its role in preserving China's basketball heritage.
As Gong Xiaobin's scar bears witness to battles past, his words aimed to ignite future triumphs. "This Hall of Fame isn't just about remembering. It's about lighting the way forward." ■