Wang Libin
Encyclopedia
Wang Libin is a former male Chinese
basketball
player and an active basketball coach
.
Wang started his playing career at the age of 14 and was one of the most talented frountcourt players in Asia
. 6'8", Wang was not only a powerful inside player with solid footwork and impressive mobility but also a stable long range
shooter. Some dubbed him as "Asia's number one centre
" during his prime in the 1980s
. As a member of the China men's national basketball team he competed at 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games
and was the flag bearer of the Chinese Olympic Team at the opening ceremony. Due to power struggles within China's basketball authorities, however, he was banned from playing for the national team at the age of 25 -- shortly after he competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics
.
After this forced "retirement", Wang accepted the invitation by a semi-professional club based in Tokyo
, Japan
to play there. In 1993, he moved to play for the Tera Electronics
club in Taiwan
and retired there after a decade-long "post-retirement" career as overseas professional player. Owning a restaurant
named after his triple-double ("大三元") record in Taipei
, Wang later served in ESPN Star Sports
as a basketball analyst/commentator in Mandarin Chinese. He also participated in the training of the Chinese Taipei men's national basketball team.
In 2004, Wang returned to his hometown, Xi'an
, to coach the Shaanxi Kylins
, a professional team in the Chinese Basketball Association
(CBA). After two unsuccessful seasons coaching in the CBA, Wang resigned as the Kylins head coach and accepted another commission to coach the Northwestern Polytechnical University
varsity team.
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
basketball
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 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...
.
Wang started his playing career at the age of 14 and was one of the most talented frountcourt 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...
. 6'8", Wang was not only a powerful inside player with solid footwork and impressive mobility but also a stable 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. Some dubbed him as "Asia's number one centre
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
" during his prime in the 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...
. As a member of the China men's national basketball team he competed at 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
and was the flag bearer of the Chinese Olympic Team at the opening ceremony. Due to power struggles within China's basketball authorities, however, he was banned from playing for the national team at the age of 25 -- shortly after he competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
.
After this forced "retirement", Wang accepted the invitation by a semi-professional club based in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to play there. In 1993, he moved to play for the Tera Electronics
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...
club in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and retired there after a decade-long "post-retirement" career as overseas professional player. Owning a restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
named after his triple-double ("大三元") record in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Wang later served in ESPN Star Sports
ESPN Star Sports
ESPN Star Sports is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and News Corporation...
as a basketball analyst/commentator in Mandarin Chinese. He also participated in the training of the Chinese Taipei men's national basketball team.
In 2004, Wang returned to his hometown, Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
, to coach the Shaanxi Kylins
Shaanxi Kylins
The Foshan Longlions are a basketball team in the Chinese Basketball Association, based in Foshan, Guangdong...
, a professional team in 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...
(CBA). After two unsuccessful seasons coaching in the CBA, Wang resigned as the Kylins head coach and accepted another commission to coach the Northwestern Polytechnical University
Northwestern Polytechnical University
Northwestern Polytechnical University is a University located in 127#, Youyi West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.-History:...
varsity team.