by sportswriter Cao Yibo

BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese basketball in 2025 read like a layered playbook: disappointment on the international stage, cautious optimism from players going abroad, and reforms at home aimed at rebuilding for the long term.

On the court, national teams searched for stability amid shifting competitive realities. Overseas, a new generation tested itself in higher-level leagues and school systems. At home, China's basketball authorities and the CBA pushed through structural changes that underlined a genuine desire to modernize.

NATIONAL TEAMS: FLICKERS OF HOPE, LINGERING QUESTIONS

China's men's team, still reeling from its failure to reach the Paris Olympics, showed signs of renewal at the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Coached by Guo Shiqiang, China beat host Saudi Arabia, India and Jordan in the group stage, then overcame South Korea and New Zealand in the knockout rounds to reach the final against Australia, the dominant team in the tournament since joining in 2017.

Although China fell one point short of the title, the side's ball movement, physical defense and more collective mindset offered hope to fans.

That momentum, however, did not last. In the first window of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers, China slipped to back-to-back defeats against South Korea. Without main scorers Wang Junjie and Zhao Rui, the team struggled at both ends of the floor and trailed by double digits in the away game.

From riding a wave of optimism to suffering a swift downturn, the contrast in performances over just a few months left many observers searching for explanations.

China's women's team also endured a difficult year, failing to defend its Women's Asia Cup title after a semifinal loss to Japan.

The competition marked the senior national team debut of 18-year-old center Zhang Ziyu, who stands 2.26 meters and is widely viewed as one of China's brightest prospects. Still adapting to the speed and physicality of the international game, Zhang nevertheless showed significant offensive potential with her size and touch around the basket. How best to use a scorer whose defensive foot speed remains a concern has become a key tactical question for coach Gong Luming and could shape the team's direction in the coming years.

Youth results again highlighted the distance to the world's leading teams. At the FIBA U19 World Cup in Lausanne, China finished 13th out of 16 teams, with its only wins coming against Jordan and Cameroon. The women's U19 squad faced similar problems and ultimately placed 11th.

LOOKING OUTWARD: OVERSEAS PATHS AND LONG-TERM INVESTMENT

Despite gaps at national-team level, 2025 brought encouraging signs in player development through overseas experience, a trend that could help reshape Chinese basketball over time.

Yang Hansen's first-round selection by the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Draft was one of the year's landmark moments for the men's game. A skilled center with soft hands and strong passing instincts, Yang arrived as a long-term project rather than an immediate contributor, but his showings in the Summer League and preseason offered glimpses of his upside.

More broadly, a growing group of Chinese prospects pursued development in high-level international settings. In the NCAA, players such as Lin Wei (University of Oregon), Wang Junjie, Zhao Weilun (University of San Francisco) and Dan Houran (Seattle University) gained valuable experience against elite Division I opposition during the 2025-26 season.

In Europe, 22-year-old center Yu Jiahao took a notable step by signing with Spanish club Bilbao Basket and spending his first season on loan with Grupo Alega Cantabria in the second division, gaining exposure to a different professional style.

On the women's side, with the domestic WCBA offering limited competitive challenges, China's core post players Han Xu and Li Yueru continued to look overseas.

Li completed a move within the WNBA from the Seattle Storm to the Dallas Wings, averaging 6.0 points and 4.5 rebounds over 31 regular-season games.

Han joined Australia's Women's National Basketball League with the Perth Lynx and made an immediate impact, scoring a game-high 22 points in her debut in late November.

Among younger talents, Deng Yuting transferred from Auburn University to Baylor University and has averaged 8.6 points per game this NCAA season.

At high-school level in the United States, prospects such as Zhang Boyuan, Huan Sinan and Huan Sifeng have received offers from top-tier NCAA Division I programs, underlining the growing presence of Chinese players in overseas talent pipelines.

REFORM AT HOME: MODERNIZATION WITH DEBATE

Domestically, basketball underwent some of its most consequential structural adjustments in years as officials sought closer alignment with international standards.

The CBA introduced several major changes for the 2025-26 season, most notably adopting full FIBA rules. Quarter lengths were reduced from 12 to 10 minutes, certain domestic-only stoppages were removed and outdated foul rules were scrapped. The reforms aim to reduce the adjustment period for players moving between the CBA and international competitions.

The league also launched "potentiality games," experimental fixtures designed to give young domestic players more meaningful minutes. Early feedback suggests these games could help bridge development gaps, though their long-term impact is still being assessed.

Off the court, China's General Administration of Sport issued strategic documents setting out reform priorities in talent development, league modernization and deeper integration with global systems.

Not all changes have been universally welcomed. The switch to FIBA rules and shorter quarters has sparked debate about how to balance fan experience with elite development needs. Questions also remain over whether "potentiality games" can strike the right mix of opportunity, competitiveness and player welfare.

As 2025 draws to a close, China's basketball story remains one of transition and experimentation. The year was defined less by immediate breakthroughs than by the search for a sustainable pathway forward - one built on clearer structures, broader horizons and a renewed effort to close the gap with the game's leading nations. ■