NBA renews coach-training program

Nearly 600 Chinese coaches have already learned from the NBA. More will get their chance.

The NBA-CBA coaching development program will continue to grow, as the two sides announced on Thursday they will extend their partnership for several more years.

Since its launch in 2009, more than 580 Chinese coaches have participated, honing their coaching skills in workshops designed to bring the Chinese up to speed.

A group of coaches from the national team and the top CBA clubs were sent to the US for training projects and courtside observation, while 15 experts from the NBA have visited China.

"We used to concentrate more on the elite group, but now we are planning to build it on a larger and more grassroots basis," CBA vice-chairman Li Jinsheng said before the Miami Heat defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 94-80, on the Beijing leg of the 2012 NBA China Games.

"We will get more coaches from the bottom of the system to get involved this time."

Li said the CBA will find six coaches from 37 sport schools and send them to the US for long-term courses focusing on the development of fundamental skills.

NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver said the league will continue to look for opportunities in China.

"With this multi-year extension, we are able to provide even more coaches with the tools they need to train elite coaches, and coaches to train the beginning players as well."

"It marks another milestone in our relationship with the CBA and we look forward to continuing to grow the game of basketball here in China."

Even without Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian, who returned to the CBA when they couldn't land offers in the NBA this season, Silver said he doesn't worry about the league's potential decline here.

"We know the way to develop the next Yao and the next Yi is focusing on coaching the youth of China," he said.

"With a population the size of China, there is no doubt in our mind that future NBA superstars are out there right now in some gym, some backyard and in some driveway, bouncing a basketball and dreaming about playing in the NBA one day."