Official announcement! Farewell, Xu Jie! The Chinese men's basketball 19-player roster is out

Following the end of the National Games, the Chinese men's basketball team promptly announced the 19-player roster preparing for the World Cup qualifiers from November 28 to December 1, as follows:

Zhao Rui, Zhou Qi, Zeng Fanbo, Raymond (Beijing); Liao Sanning (Beikong); Zhang Ning (Shanxi); Wang Lanqin (Liaoning); Zhang Zhenlin, Liu Lijia (Shanghai); Jiang Haoran (Jiangsu); Cheng Shuaipeng (Zhejiang); Hu Jinqiu, Zhu Junlong (Guangsha); Gao Shiyan (Shandong); Hu Mingxuan, Jiao Boqiao (Guangdong); Li Xiangbo (Guangzhou); Zhao Jiayi (Qingdao); Yu Jiahao (Western League).

Since the World Cup qualifiers determine the slots for the 2027 World Cup, every game is crucial. Therefore, the Chinese team must deploy all their strength, with veterans like Zhou Qi and Zhang Zhenlin returning, but players such as Yang Hansen and Wang Junjie missed out due to conflicts with NBA and NCAA schedules.

It's unfortunate for Zhao Jiwei; if he hadn't suffered a left thigh muscle strain in the National Games semifinal and been sidelined, he would have likely been called up.

Every time the Chinese men's basketball team releases its training roster, controversy arises, and this time is no exception. Many passionate fans are voicing support for Xu Jie.

Last CBA season, Xu Jie averaged 15.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.4 steals per regular season game, and 16.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in the playoffs. He was selected for the Asian Cup training camp this summer but missed the final 12-man roster; now, despite an excellent performance at the National Games, he wasn't even chosen for the World Cup qualifiers training squad.

It’s understandable that Guo Shiqiang didn’t favor Xu Jie, as Guo is a well-known traditional defensive coach who naturally won’t tolerate a smaller player who can be targeted by opponents. Besides, Guo recently led a severely understrength Chinese team to the Asian Cup runner-up title, boosting his authority, so no one can challenge his selection decisions now.

For this World Cup qualifiers journey, none of China's opponents are easy. At the end of this year, they face South Korea twice; early next year, Japan and Chinese Taipei; and mid-next year, Japan and Chinese Taipei again. Any lapse in caution could lead to upsets, so extreme care is necessary.