Cheng Chih-Lung
Encyclopedia
Cheng Chih-Lung is a retired Taiwanese professional basketball
player, a former member of the Legislative Yuan
of the Republic of China
, and an active basketball coach
. Cheng played small forward
for the Chinese Taipei men's national basketball team and started as shooting guard
for his professional clubs in Taiwan and Shanghai
mostly in the last decade of the 20th century. During his prime, he was widely recognized as one of the best offensive players in Asia
. After a brief but controversy-packed political career following his retirement as a player in 2001, Cheng has returned to courtside to coach in Taiwan's Super Basketball League
(SBL) since 2007.
1989—Taiwan's best record in the tournament since its resumption of international sports participation in the mid-1980s
. From then through 1999, Cheng played for the national team in various international tournaments and helped set the team's best records in all major tournaments in the region including winning Taiwan's first gold medal
in men's basketball in the 1997 East Asian Games
. As the representative star player of Taiwan, Cheng was selected to All-Tournament Team for the William Jones Cup international tournament
for numerous times and to the FIBA Asian All-Star roster in 1998.
Initially nicknamed "Doctor" after Dr. J
by his American coach, John Nealon, due to his jumping ability, Cheng Chih-Lung subsequently derived another nickname, "the Loach-Dragon" (泥鰍龍), from his shrewd playing style. A stable mid- and long range
shooter, Cheng was also acclaimed for his smart offensive running, crafty moves, and great body coordination in the air that enabled him to "bore" through the defense like a slippery dojo loach and score from various angles and distances. As a Hung Kuo Elephant, he became the then-highest-paid basketball player in Taiwan and was the cornerstone of the "Hung Kuo dynasty" from 1996 through 1998 when the team won three consecutive championships of Taiwan's professional Chinese Basketball Alliance
(中華職業籃球聯盟). He was named the most valuable player
(MVP) for the 1995-1996 season and for the 1998 championship series where he almost single-handedly brought his team to its third title out of an 1-3 plight in the best-of-seven series against the powerful challenger, the Kaohsiung
Mars.
After the Taiwanese professional league, as well as his home club, the Hung Kuo Elephants, came to disbandment due to financial difficulties in 1999, Cheng moved to play for the Shanghai Sharks
of the Chinese Basketball Association
in mainland China
. Teamed up with the then-adolescent Yao Ming
, Cheng helped the young Sharks advance to the finals for the first time in franchise history before they were defeated by the nearly invincible Bayi Rockets
. First Taiwanese player to join the top-tier Chinese league, Cheng was selected to play in the postseason all-star game and received the league's sporting ethics award. After one rather successful season in China, Cheng returned to Taiwan to play for Dacin Tigers
in the amateur Division-A conference (甲組聯賽) where he ended his playing career in the following year.
, Cheng Chih-Lung ran for and won the 2001 legislative election as the People First Party (PFP) nominee in the first district of Taipei County. His political career, however, was overshadowed by the scandal
of extramarital affair with legislative colleague, Kao Chin Su-mei
, and public censures for inaction. He divorce
d his wife in 2002 and did not seek another office at the termination of his only term as legislator.
In the capacity of legislator, nevertheless, Cheng Chih-Lung was given the credit of working with the government's Sports Affairs Council
to give birth to the Super Basketball League, which started to function in 2003. In the fifth season of the league's existence, Cheng Chih-Lung accepted the commission to coach Taiwan Mobile Clouded Leopards
and brought the losing team to an improved 15-15 record in the 2009-2010 season.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player, a former member of the Legislative Yuan
Legislative Yuan
The Legislative Yuan is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China .The Legislative Yuan is one of the five branches of government stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of China, which follows Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People...
of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
, and an active basketball coach
Coach (basketball)
Basketball coaching is the act of directing and strategizing the behaviour of a basketball team or individual basketball player. Basketball coaching typically encompasses the improvement of individual and team offensive and defensive skills, as well as overall physical conditioning.Coaching is...
. Cheng played small forward
Small forward
The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
for the Chinese Taipei men's national basketball team and started as shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
for his professional clubs in Taiwan and Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
mostly in the last decade of the 20th century. During his prime, he was widely recognized as one of the best offensive players in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. After a brief but controversy-packed political career following his retirement as a player in 2001, Cheng has returned to courtside to coach in Taiwan's Super Basketball League
Super Basketball League
The Super Basketball League , often abbreviated to the SBL, is the pre-eminent men's semi-professional basketball league in Taiwan. It was founded in 2003 and considered by many as the successor organization to the short-lived Chinese Basketball Alliance , a men's professional basketball league...
(SBL) since 2007.
Playing career
As a member of the Chinese Taipei youth team, teen-aged Cheng Chih-Lung was two-time scoring champion in the FIBA's Under-18 Asian Championship. At the age of 19, he became the then-youngest player on the Chinese Taipei adult team and helped his team to a third-place finish in FIBA Asia ChampionshipFIBA Asia Championship
The FIBA Asia Championship for Men is a tournament which takes place every two years between teams of the continent. This is the Asian qualifying tournament for the FIBA World Championship and the Olympic basketball tournament...
1989—Taiwan's best record in the tournament since its resumption of international sports participation in the mid-1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
. From then through 1999, Cheng played for the national team in various international tournaments and helped set the team's best records in all major tournaments in the region including winning Taiwan's first gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in men's basketball in the 1997 East Asian Games
East Asian Games
The East Asian Games is a multi-sport event organised by the East Asian Games Association and held every four years since 1993 among athletes from East Asian countries and territories of the Olympic Council of Asia , as well as the Pacific island of Guam, which is a member of the Oceania National...
. As the representative star player of Taiwan, Cheng was selected to All-Tournament Team for the William Jones Cup international tournament
William Jones Cup
The R. William Jones Cup is an international basketball tournament held annually in Taipei, Taiwan. It was named after Renato William Jones, a basketball promoter and one of the founders of the International Basketball Federation .The Jones Cup tournament started in 1977 and is held annually...
for numerous times and to the FIBA Asian All-Star roster in 1998.
Initially nicknamed "Doctor" after Dr. J
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
by his American coach, John Nealon, due to his jumping ability, Cheng Chih-Lung subsequently derived another nickname, "the Loach-Dragon" (泥鰍龍), from his shrewd playing style. A stable mid- and long range
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
shooter, Cheng was also acclaimed for his smart offensive running, crafty moves, and great body coordination in the air that enabled him to "bore" through the defense like a slippery dojo loach and score from various angles and distances. As a Hung Kuo Elephant, he became the then-highest-paid basketball player in Taiwan and was the cornerstone of the "Hung Kuo dynasty" from 1996 through 1998 when the team won three consecutive championships of Taiwan's professional Chinese Basketball Alliance
Chinese Basketball Alliance
The Chinese Basketball Alliance was a men's professional basketball league in Taiwan that existed from 1995 to 1999. Also abbreviated as "CBA", the defunct organization based in Taiwan was distinct from the Chinese Basketball Association of the People's Republic of China and was also not to be...
(中華職業籃球聯盟). He was named the most valuable player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
(MVP) for the 1995-1996 season and for the 1998 championship series where he almost single-handedly brought his team to its third title out of an 1-3 plight in the best-of-seven series against the powerful challenger, the Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
Mars.
After the Taiwanese professional league, as well as his home club, the Hung Kuo Elephants, came to disbandment due to financial difficulties in 1999, Cheng moved to play for the Shanghai Sharks
Shanghai Sharks
The Shanghai Sharks , is a Chinese Basketball Association team based in Shanghai, China. Steven Kevelam is the first to corporate a good sponsorship, there is often an additional name used: for many years they were also known as the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks , but now are known as Shanghai Xiyang...
of the Chinese Basketball Association
Chinese Basketball Association
The Chinese Basketball Association , 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...
in mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. Teamed up with the then-adolescent Yao Ming
Yao Ming
Yao Ming is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association...
, Cheng helped the young Sharks advance to the finals for the first time in franchise history before they were defeated by the nearly invincible Bayi Rockets
Bayi Rockets
Bayi Shuanglu Rockets or Bayi Rockets or Bayi Army Rockets or Bayi Shuanglu are a basketball team in the South Division of the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Ningbo, Zhejiang...
. First Taiwanese player to join the top-tier Chinese league, Cheng was selected to play in the postseason all-star game and received the league's sporting ethics award. After one rather successful season in China, Cheng returned to Taiwan to play for Dacin Tigers
Dacin Tigers
Dacin Tigers is a basketball club based in Kaohsiung, Taiwan that plays in the Super Basketball League .-External links:*...
in the amateur Division-A conference (甲組聯賽) where he ended his playing career in the following year.
After retirement as a player
Under the arrangement of his sponsor Wang Jen-ta (王人達), the then-president of the executive board of the Republic of China Basketball Association (中華民國籃球協會) and a political ally of James SoongJames Soong
James Soong Chu-yu , is a politician in the Republic of China on Taiwan. He founded and chairs the People First Party, a smaller and more conservative party in the Kuomintang -led Pan-Blue Coalition....
, Cheng Chih-Lung ran for and won the 2001 legislative election as the People First Party (PFP) nominee in the first district of Taipei County. His political career, however, was overshadowed by the scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
of extramarital affair with legislative colleague, Kao Chin Su-mei
May Chin
Stage named May Chin, Kao Chin Su-mei , born on September 21, 1965 in Heping Township, Taichung County , Taiwan as Chin Su-mei, to a Han Chinese father and a Taiwanese Aborigine mother, is a Taiwanese singer, actress and politician...
, and public censures for inaction. He divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d his wife in 2002 and did not seek another office at the termination of his only term as legislator.
In the capacity of legislator, nevertheless, Cheng Chih-Lung was given the credit of working with the government's Sports Affairs Council
Sports Affairs Council
Sports Affairs Council is a council under the Executive Yuan, the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China . It was established in mainland China and relocated to Taiwan after the defeat of Kuomintang in the Chinese Civil War....
to give birth to the Super Basketball League, which started to function in 2003. In the fifth season of the league's existence, Cheng Chih-Lung accepted the commission to coach Taiwan Mobile Clouded Leopards
Taiwan Mobile Clouded Leopards
The Taiwan Mobile Clouded Leopards are a semi-professional team in the Super Basketball League in Taiwan.The franchise dates back to 1983 when it was originally founded as the Chien-hong Men's Basketball Team...
and brought the losing team to an improved 15-15 record in the 2009-2010 season.
See also
- Chinese Taipei men's national basketball team
- FIBA Asia ChampionshipFIBA Asia ChampionshipThe FIBA Asia Championship for Men is a tournament which takes place every two years between teams of the continent. This is the Asian qualifying tournament for the FIBA World Championship and the Olympic basketball tournament...
(Asian Basketball Confederation Championship) - East Asian GamesEast Asian GamesThe East Asian Games is a multi-sport event organised by the East Asian Games Association and held every four years since 1993 among athletes from East Asian countries and territories of the Olympic Council of Asia , as well as the Pacific island of Guam, which is a member of the Oceania National...
- Chinese Basketball AllianceChinese Basketball AllianceThe Chinese Basketball Alliance was a men's professional basketball league in Taiwan that existed from 1995 to 1999. Also abbreviated as "CBA", the defunct organization based in Taiwan was distinct from the Chinese Basketball Association of the People's Republic of China and was also not to be...
(Taiwan) - Chinese Basketball AssociationChinese Basketball AssociationThe Chinese Basketball Association , 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...
(China) - Shanghai SharksShanghai SharksThe Shanghai Sharks , is a Chinese Basketball Association team based in Shanghai, China. Steven Kevelam is the first to corporate a good sponsorship, there is often an additional name used: for many years they were also known as the Shanghai Dongfang Sharks , but now are known as Shanghai Xiyang...
- Legislative YuanLegislative YuanThe Legislative Yuan is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China .The Legislative Yuan is one of the five branches of government stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of China, which follows Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People...