NBA China's CEO David Shoemaker shared the organization's plans to further grow basketball in China prior to Sunday's All-Star Game in Toronto, the first one held outside of the United States in 65 years.
In an interview with Chinese media inside NBA Canada's downtown Toronto office, Shoemaker shared the steps that NBA China is taking to further grow the game of basketball in China.
"This year is our third year in a row where we have a special (Chinese New Year) promotion on television featuring James Harden, Steph Curry and Jeremy Lin," said Shoemaker. "This one has a special place in my heart because of what we aim to do in China, which is grow the game of basketball and celebrate it with everybody in China."
Since taking over the role of CEO in 2011, the native of Ottawa, Canada, has helped facilitate the continued growth of NBA in China, the NBA's largest market by population.
Despite the large following, the total number of Chinese-born NBA players in league history remain at five.
Since Wang Zhizhi broke barriers in 2001, Yao Ming, Mengke Bateer, Yi Jianlian and Sun Yue have followed suit. Among the group, three have been drafted; Yao 1st overall in 2002, Yi 6th overall in 2007 and Sun 40th overall in 2007.
With Yao was forced to retire due to injury in 2011 after eight seasons with the Houston Rockets, the remaining four were unable to replicate the same level of his success in the NBA. Wang, Bateer, Yi and Sun have all returned home to play in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) after no more than five years in the NBA.
"It's hard for me to pinpoint the moment in time that it will occur, but it will occur. I think there's too much talent and too much drive and motivation in China for it to be stopped," said Shoemaker.
"There will inevitable not just be one or two NBA players from China, but a whole group of them that will represent the country and represent it well and play on a national team that will be highly competitive in Olympic Games."
Shoemaker believes that the best method of producing more NBA players will be through educating young kids in schools.
"We've already started working with the [Chinese] Ministry of Education to teach young kids how to bounce basketballs, pass basketballs, and shoot basketballs," he said. "My dream and objective is to have that curriculum taught all around China. We'll see that happen pretty soon."
In Shoemaker's home nation of Canada, the sport of basketball is as popular as ever, nearly 20 years after Canada was awarded two franchises in 1995.
Back in 1995, the number of NBA players born in Canada was only 13, with two active players on NBA rosters. Since then, 19 more players have entered the league with 15 of them coming in the last five years.
There are currently 12 Canadian-born players on active rosters in the NBA, including first overall picks Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett.
Shoemaker hopes China can replicate a similar effect that Canada has with their growth strategies.
"Certainly what has happened in Canada with all the players getting drafted is a great celebration of Canada basketball and we'll have that kind of celebration in China, I'm sure," Shoemaker said.
