Jiang Weize (R) of China shoots during a Group B match between Chinese Taipei and China of the FIBA Asia Cup 2022 in Jakarta, Indonesia, July 16, 2022. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain)
As a national team rookie, Jiang Weize seemed a bit perplexed on the floor for some time, but his resolute shooting style has impressed a lot of fans.
by sportswriters Cao Yibo, Li Dian, Yu Sihui, Zhou Wanpeng
CHANGCHUN, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Jiang Weize clearly remembers the first field goal he scored for China's national basketball team.
With four minutes left in the third quarter of China's 2022 FIBA Asia Cup group match against South Korea on July 12, the ball was passed to Jiang, who stood behind the arc in the fast break. Then he adjusted, jumped and shot with no hesitation.
"That goal means a lot to me," says the 22-year-old.
The TV broadcast captured that Jiang was about to celebrate the goal but just as their opponents were going to launch a counterattack, he released his half-clenched fists and transitioned to defense.
As a national team rookie, Jiang seemed a bit perplexed on the floor for some time, but his resolute shooting style has impressed a lot of fans, who gave him a nickname: the Yanbian Assassin.
Jiang Weize (C) of Jilin Northeast Tigers goes for a basket during the 37th round match between Zhejiang Golden bulls and Jilin Northeast Tigers at the 2021-2022 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Shenyang of northeast China's Liaoning Province, March 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)
FROM BORDER TOWN TO NATIONAL TEAM
Jiang was born in Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in northeast China's Jilin Province and began to play basketball in elementary school. He was discovered by Jilin basketball legend Sun Jun in a middle school game and introduced to the Jilin Northeast Tigers' youth team. Jiang then started his professional basketball career in the 2018-2019 season CBA League.
With a height of 1.81 meters and a normal arm reach, Jiang does not have a natural advantage on court. However, hard training and the spirit of never giving up brought Jiang to where he is today.
Over four seasons of unremitting efforts, Jiang gained a place in the team's starting five. Increasing his regular season playing time from 22.6 minutes to 37.9 minutes per game and doubling his score from 7.8 points to 17.6 points per game, Jiang has become an indispensable scorer for the Jilin Northeast Tigers.
After he finished off last season's CBA playoff, Jiang was capped by China men's basketball reserve team and was then urgently called up by the national team for the FIBA Asia Cup in Jakarta and the fourth window period of the World Cup qualifiers in Kazakhstan.
China's national team is packed with experienced point guards such as Zhao Rui, Sun Ming hui and Xu Jie, but Jiang surprisingly caught the most attention. The diminutive shooter showed composure that belied his inexperience; averaging 15 minutes per game, Jiang shot 44 percent from the 3-point range and made several key shots during the Asia Cup.
The "Assassin" delivered his masterpiece as China edged Bahrain by one point. Jiang made several long shots in succession in the intense third quarter, playing the role of "Mr. Big Shot."
Jiang said that off-season training and confidence led to his good Asia Cup performance. "There are many excellent young players on the Chinese men's basketball reserve team, and training is very systematic, which keeps me in good shape," Jiang said. "Also, I didn't put too much pressure on myself to come onto the national team. Although I wasn't in the training camp, I never doubted myself."
After his appearance in the U18 and U19 national teams in 2018 and 2019, Jiang completed a "triple jump" after this summer's national team trip.
Guo Ailun (R) of Liaoning Flying Leopards competes against Jiang Weize of Jilin Northeast Tigers during the 10th round match at the 2021-2022 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Zhuji, east China's Zhejiang Province, Nov. 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)
GOAL FOR THE NEW SEASON: GET TO THE PLAYOFFS
This summer, Jiang's rookie contract with Jilin expired, and both parties agreed to renew for five more years. Even though rumors had suggested that Jiang might seek a bigger deal, the sharpshooter chose to stay. "I have been with the Tigers since I was a child. The club gave me everything, so I chose to play for the team again," he said.
With the new CBA season set to start on October 10, Jiang admitted that he needs time to get familiar with the tactics, but his teammates showed patience and support.
"Although we haven't seen each other for over two months, the united team atmosphere has always been there."
During the summer, Jilin appointed Cui Wanjun as the head coach to replace Wang Han, who led the dark horse to shock the Beijing Ducks in the playoffs, finishing with the club's best ranking in the past eight seasons. Speaking of the new season, Jiang said that "the primary goal is to secure a playoff berth."
Moreover, Jilin's Dominique Jones, who has renewed his contract with the team, returned to the team in early September and will also take up the role of assistant coach in the new season. Fighting together for the fifth season, Jiang stated that the two have built a strong chemistry that they "can read each other just by a look on the court."
Jiang Weize (R) of Jilin Northeast Tigers shoots during the 48th round match between Liaoning Flying Leopards and Jilin Northeast Tigers at the 2020-2021 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Zhuji, east China's Zhejiang Province, March 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)
PERSONAL GOAL: BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR
Despite an excellent shooting percentage, Jiang admitted that he still has a lot of room for improvement. "I still highly rely on shooting, and I have a long way to go to become an all-around guard."
"Play setups and defense awareness are my weaknesses. These are the directions that I will be working on in the future," Jiang said. "I will focus on getting the ball to a teammate in the best position."
After a substantial summer, Jiang said that he has learned a lot, not only realizing the gap with the world's best guards, but also strengthening his confidence. "As a scorer, one can't hesitate. With the trust from coaches and teammates, I will continue to work hard to maintain this confidence in the future."
"In the new season, I look forward to taking on more tasks in the team, and I hope each year I can do better than the previous year," he said.
