Incredible! With a plus-minus of -22, he is the worst performing key player on the Chinese men's basketball team.

The modern philosophy of basketball is crystal clear: it's all about fast, fluid, and concise offensive possession with a strong emphasis on shooting. The old approach that focused on slowing down the game with defense and running complex plays may have become outdated.

Moreover, on the FIBA stage, where there is no defensive three-second rule, guards who can’t shoot are disastrous, causing incalculable damage to the team. Even the NBA, which has a defensive three-second rule, can no longer accommodate perimeter players who lack shooting ability.

For example, during the third window of the World Cup Qualifiers, the Chinese men's basketball team suffered a crushing 73-92 defeat at home against Japan. Starting point guard Zhao Jiwei shot 1-of-7 from the field (0-of-4 from three), Liao Sanning shot 6-of-14 (0-of-3 from three), and Gao Shiyan shot 1-of-2 (0-of-1 from three) with a plus-minus of -22, the lowest in the game. The three guards clanked shot after shot, more jarring than a morning alarm clock.

Shooting—you absolutely have to be able to shoot. Basketball is, in the end, a game of shooting. The more accurate you are, the greater your chances of winning. Conversely, so-called advantages in size are hardly decisive and may only serve as a target for opponents.

Sometimes I truly envy the Japanese men's basketball team, as they have found a playing style that fits the global trends of basketball and maximizes their own speed and agility advantages. Meanwhile, the Chinese men's basketball team remains in a state of trial and error—still lacking a clear identity. Most notably, they have yet to establish an absolute core player. Even a first-round pick (No. 16 overall) from the 2025 NBA Draft ends up playing a blue-collar role upon returning.

By the way, the current head coach of the Chinese men's basketball team, Guo Shiqiang, has explicitly refused to consider naturalization.

Currently, the Chinese men's basketball team sits at the bottom of Group B with a 2-3 record. The match against the Chinese Taipei team (also 2-3) on November 6th will be a do-or-die battle. The winner advances, while the loser is completely eliminated from qualifying for the 2027 World Cup.

This is because if the Chinese men's basketball team loses to the Chinese Taipei team, even if the South Korean men's basketball team (2-3) subsequently loses to Japan (4-1), South Korea would still eliminate China based on their head-to-head advantage from winning both games during the first window of the qualifiers.

Who would have thought that the Chinese men's basketball team might be eliminated during the World Cup Qualifiers, ultimately missing out on a spot in the World Cup?