The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in China.

2011 was a banner year for the CBA, as the NBA lockout this summer generated both jobless players and game-thirsty fans, who flocked to the CBA as an alternative.

Some of the best-known faces in the NBA, including J.R. Smith, Kenyon Martin, Aaron Brooks and Wilson Chandler, joined the Chinese leagues and drew more attention to the sport here.

However, many CBA fans worry the current boom is just a flash in the pan, as the NBA season started again in Dec. after the league and its players reached a tentative deal on a new collective bargaining agreement.

CBA是中国篮球协会的缩写，也代指中国男子篮球职业联赛。

中国篮球协会在2011年收获颇丰。夏季NBA停摆，催生了大批无球可打的球员和无球可看的球迷，而CBA成了他们的第二选择。

J.R.史密斯、肯扬•马丁、阿隆•布鲁克斯和威尔森•钱德勒这些大名鼎鼎的前NBA明星，现在竟然加入了中国篮球职业联赛，也吸引了更多人对CBA比赛的关注。

但随着美国国家篮球协会和球员的劳资谈判达成初步协议，NBA已于12月份重新开战。一些中国球迷担心，这会让CBA的兴盛场面成为昙花一现。