Half-court press pays off

The hard-earned tickets to Paris have provided Chinese hoops fans something to cheer about after a disappointing summer, during which the men's five-a-side national team missed out on Olympic qualification for a second straight time, due to its worst ever 29th-place finish at the FIBA World Cup in September. That setback was followed by defeat to the Philippines in the Asian Games final in Hangzhou last month.

The basketball community in China appreciates the 3x3 program's timely inspiration, said Chinese Basketball Association president Yao Ming.

"It all seemed like a daunting task as tall as a mountain at the beginning of this year when we discussed the 3x3 program's pathway to Paris," Yao said during a ceremony to celebrate the Olympic qualification last week in Jinjiang, Fujian province.

"Our players, coaches and all the supporting crews, however, have overcome unprecedented challenges to get it done. They've experienced the real-life version of The Wandering Earth. They lost count of the miles they had flown across the world, how many takeoffs they'd experienced and how many hotels they'd stayed in.

"I was an athlete for decades, yet I never experienced anything like this. The journey is worth being told and shared as an inspiration for more players. I appreciate all their efforts on behalf of the CBA," said Yao, an eight-time NBA All-Star.