Taijiang: Former NBA star Tracy McGrady interacted with grassroots basketball players for about 40 minutes on Saturday night in Taipan village, Taijiang county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, the birthplace of the Village Basketball Association known as "Cun BA."
According to Namibia Press Agency, amid loud cheers from the spectators, McGrady walked through a welcoming crowd at the entrance toward the center of the "Cun BA" basketball court. He expressed his enthusiasm by stating, "This is the greatest thing I have ever seen in my life," greeting the audience in Mandarin learned from the event host. McGrady also learned about the phrase "Ye Qing Hui" in Chinese, which fans use in reference to his remarkable performance of scoring 13 points in 35 seconds during an NBA game in 2004.
Taipan is known as a hub for grassroots basketball in China. In July 2022, the traditional basketball event held there during the "Chixin Festival" gained nationwide and international attention, earning the nickname "Cun BA" from netizens. Over the past three years, "Cun BA" has remained popular, with cumulative online exposure exceeding 100 billion views as of July this year. The tournament often attracts thousands of spectators and has drawn NBA stars such as Jimmy Butler, Allen Iverson, and Danny Green to Taipan Village.
As a former NBA teammate of Chinese basketball superstar Yao Ming, McGrady enjoys high popularity among Chinese fans. His visit to Taipan has injected new momentum into the development of the village as a grassroots basketball hub. On the court, McGrady observed players attempting shots in tribute to his NBA feat and engaged in a spirited shooting contest while providing on-site coaching to kids.
"You have to work extremely hard," McGrady advised the kids. "Also, you have to watch the games of basketball, watch your favorite players, watch how they move on the basketball court. When you work on the court practicing, teach yourself to play just like your favorite players do."
Cen Jianglong, the village chief, noted, "As an NBA superstar, McGrady's visit will further enhance Taipan's influence both domestically and internationally. He will inspire more people to love basketball and sports, and help boost the integrated development of culture and sports in Taipan."