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CBA wants to heal rift with Wang Zhizhi before 2008
(AP)
Updated: 2006-02-21 15:16
SHANGHAI, China (AP) _ Chinese basketball officials want to end a feud with
Miami Heat center Wang Zhizhi in time for him to return for the 2008 Beijing
Summer Olympics, media reported Tuesday.
 The first mainland Chinese player in the NBA, Wang angered the basketball
association by refusing to return for national team duties following his
2001-2002 rookie season.
Since then, his fame in China has been eclipsed by Houston Rockets center Yao
Ming, who has diligently showed up for national duties, including leading China
to an eighth-place finish at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Chinese Basketball Association Secretary General Li Yuanwei met with Wang
three times last week in Los Angeles in the first face-to-face talks between the
sides since the dispute began, news Web site sina.com reported.
Wang needs to "take practical action to change his mistakes and make a
contribution to the 2008 Beijing Olympics," it quoted Li as saying, without
giving any details.
"We hope he can gather up his determination, take action, and come on home at
an early date," Li said.
Wang could not immediately be reached for comment.
Li was also quoted as denying rumors that Wang's estrangement was linked to
basketball association demands for a chunk of his NBA salary.
Basketball officials have never demanded payment from any Chinese playing
overseas, Li said, adding that a US$160,000 gift from Yao Ming during the
2003-2004 season had been invested in youth basketball programs.
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