BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Veteran coach Gong Luming has replaced Zheng Wei as head coach of the China women's basketball team, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) announced Tuesday, marking his return to the position he last held 20 years ago.

"Having been involved in basketball my entire life, I'm willing to continue contributing to China's basketball cause," the 67-year-old Gong told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

"Through the efforts of several generations, the China women's basketball team has developed a group of outstanding players and won honors in international competitions. Hopefully, we can stand on the shoulders of giants and move in a better direction," he added.

Gong began his coaching career in 1991 and led China's men's team to a historic eighth-place finish at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He then served as head coach of the women's national team from 1999 to 2005. During his tenure, China won gold at the 2002 Asian Games and finished sixth at the FIBA Women's World Championship that same year.

In 2014, Gong was reappointed head coach of the struggling men's team and helped China reclaim the FIBA Asia Championship in 2015, securing a spot at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Although he has not been a first-team head coach since 2017, Gong has remained involved in basketball, serving as an advisor and assistant coach. He believes this experience has given him time to reflect on his past work, which will benefit him in his new role.

"Having been engaged in basketball for around half a century, I've accumulated a lot of experience. I want to share it in my final coaching spell to help develop outstanding players and coaches," said Gong, who is also vice president of the CBA.

Gong noted that women's basketball has undergone significant tactical and stylistic changes in recent years, with elements such as execution, tempo, power, and movement increasingly influenced by the men's game. This was exemplified by the press defense seen at the Paris Olympics.

Beyond the dominance of the United States, Gong sees more than 10 teams in the second tier of women's basketball, with four or five emerging as real challengers. He pointed to France's narrow one-point loss to the U.S. in the final at the Paris 2024 Olympics as an example.

In its announcement, the CBA confirmed that Zheng's contract had expired and that she would no longer serve as head coach.

During her tenure, China had an impressive run in 2022 and 2023, finishing as runner-up at the 2022 FIBA Women's World Cup and winning the Asia Cup and Asian Games the following year. However, the team struggled at the 2024 Olympics, finishing ninth.

"It's not necessary to blame or criticize anyone. The most important thing is to raise players' awareness and motivate them to continue contributing after achieving strong results. We need a team with unity and fighting spirit," Gong said.

He acknowledged that a generational shift poses the biggest challenge for the team but emphasized the importance of a smooth transition while maintaining morale ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics.

Gong also expressed hope that more Chinese players will compete in high-level leagues such as the WNBA.

His first major test will come in July at the 2025 FIBA Women's Asia Cup, where China aims to defend its title.

"We will go all out for a good result and ensure a smooth transition in the meantime," he said. Enditem

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