China has very talented basketball players and the NBA is looking forward to their presence in the United States, said NBA Commissioner David Stern during the NBA All-Star weekend in Washington on Saturday evening.

"Wang Zhizhi, Yao Ming and Menk Bateer, they are very talented players, and I'm looking forward to their joining in the NBA, and I'm looking forward to seeing them in the United States," said Stern in a court-side interview with Xinhua.

Wang was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks last season, but was kept at home by his local club in Beijing, and Yao is reportedly expected to line up for the draft this season, together with Bateer, concerned sources revealed.

"They will become starting players in a couple of years if they can get right kind of coaches and training," said the commissioner, "Through expert training and good coaching, they will go to another level, and it's important for them to have NBA training."

Even if they would not be in the starting rosters after their eventual joining in NBA, "they'll practice every day, they'll work out with coaches, and they'll certainly get better by playing around against better players," said Stern.

"Next October is our target," said Michael Denzel, managing director of NBA Asia Limited, when being asked when NBA will have its China Game in the future.

However, Stern fielded the same question in a diplomatic tone, saying "soon, very soon, as soon as Yao Ming joins in NBA."

(Xinhua 02/11/01)