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RISING SUN?: NBA draft pick Sun Yue may sign for the Lakers next year. But, for now, he and his Aoshen teammates are playing at the Toa Payoh Sports Hall. -- ST PHOTO: EDWIN KOO
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THEIR roster includes an NBA-bound player and members of China's Olympic squad. But, despite having been in Singapore for six weeks, Chinese basketball side Beijing Aoshen have barely made a ripple here.
Since Nov 30, the California-based team have been playing their American Basketball Association games at the Toa Payoh Sports Hall before crowds of less than 400.
Aoshen are playing all 28 regular-season games here. It is the first time the ABA, a minor basketball league in the US that was formed in 2000, has staged a competitive series outside North America.
Teams from the 26-team ABA fly here every week to play two games each against the Chinese. The league is divided into two conferences and six divisions. Aoshen play in the Western Division in the Red Conference.
Aoshen have won 11 of their 12 games so far, against little-known teams like the Houston Takers and the San Diego Wildcats, whom they beat 112-104 last night. Their last game is on March 16.
'We came to Singapore because it is cosmopolitan and because of the support we got from the Basketball Association of Singapore,' said club manager Zang Changhong.
Aoshen have been playing in the ABA since 2005, after leaving China over a dispute with the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).
In the United States, ABA games reportedly draw about 1,500 fans each time. Zang admitted that attendances here have been poor, despite the fact that they have a budding National Basketball Association player in their ranks - the 2.06m-tall Sun Yue, 22.
The point-guard was the Los Angeles Lakers' 40th pick in last year's NBA draft. He is also part of China's Olympic squad, along with centre Zhang Songtao.
'We hope more people will come to see us,' said Sun, who may sign for the Lakers next season. 'We play an American style of basketball - fast, with plenty of dunks.'
The ABA plans to tap into Asia, said its vice-president of officials, Tom Chichester. 'We hope our brand of basketball will grow in this region,' he said.
'We might even start an ABA division here, with teams from Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.'
Aoshen's presence means two professional basketball teams have made the Republic their home base for now.
The Singapore Slingers - who compete in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) - play their games at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The team, who include three Singaporeans, usually attract crowds of about 3,000.
Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck believes the arrival of the two sides is a good sign.
'For professional teams to come here and play an entire season is great, especially since Singapore is positioning itself as a regional sports hub,' he said. 'I think there's no need to be afraid of cannibalisation. It adds vibrancy - so the more the merrier.'
The Slingers' managing director Bob Turner agreed, saying: 'I think Aoshen attract a different kind of crowd. 'Their presence can only be good for the sport.'
tvoon@sph.com.sg
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