Yao Ming, the new president of Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), is planning to set up two national men's basketball teams in the future, according to a plan submitted to the sports authority.
The two national teams would train separately and attend respective international games until 2019 when they will be integrated into one team for preparation for the 2019 Basketball World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
During the two year period, the two teams would be banned from exchanging players.
The move would be an attempt to double the chance to bring in sufficiently talented players to the national-team level, while allowing younger players to gain more international experiences.
The plan will also require the hiring of two new head coaches.
Anyone who qualifies the requirements can apply or be recommended for the position and join in an open competition. It's also the first time that the coaches of Chinese basketball team have been hired this way.
CBA said the final results will come out later April.
Then who are the possible nominees for the head coaches?
Li Qiuping, who recently led Xinjiang to the CBA Championship is thought to be the most likely to take a position.
However, he has gone on-record recently saying he won't apply for the job, and will only accept the position if he were asked directly.
Li Chunjiang, current head coach of Zhejiang, is also considered another option.
Wang Zhizhi, former teammate of Yao Ming on the national team during the Beijing Olympics, is also said to be in the running.
