Chinese center Wang Zhizhi became the first Asian going to America's
National Basketball Association (NBA), but he is not the first Chinese
player being drafted by NBA and having played in US.
Song Tao, Chinese national team center in the 80's, was drafted
by Atlanta Hawks in 1986. He signed a one-year contract worth of
70,000 U.S. dollars with Hawks, but did not go to America because
of head-to-head serious injuries on his knee.
Ma Jian, forward from Hebei province, was the first Chinese player
in the pre-season training camp when he was with Los Angles Clippers
in 1995. He failed to become a Clipper and came back to play in
the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).
The first Chinese basketball player going to America is Chinese
women's national team center, Zheng Haixia. Zheng signed with WNBA
side Los Angles Sparks in 1996 for two years.
(People's Daily 03/30)
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