XI'AN, China, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- More reform measures in Shaanxi's basketball system will be carried out in 2019 to meet fans' needs, Wang Libin, president of the Shaanxi Basketball Association (SBA) and vice president of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), told Xinhua on Saturday.

"I'd like to bring more changes to Shaanxi's basketball, making the event an icon of the city of Xi'an," said Wang.

The 55-year-old is a basketball celebrity in China. As a member of the China men's national basketball team, Wang competed at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games and was the flag bearer of Team China at the opening ceremony. He also spearheaded China to Asian Championship and Asian Games titles.

In 2015, Wang was elected the SBA President. Since then, he has proposed a series of reforms of provincial teams and the cultivation of young talents.

It was Wang that helped reestablish Shaanxi's provincial basketball teams in 2016 after both the men's and women's teams were dismissed by the government for budgetary reasons in 1990.

He is also a firm advocate of the "small basketball" program proposed by CBA president Yao Ming, which aims to develop China's youth basketball for kids between six and twelve. The proposal of lower baskets, smaller balls and smaller courts have been made a reality in every city of the province. According to the SBA, teenage basketball players in the northwestern province increase by 200 thousand every year.

"More and more children's parents are willing to send their kids to local basketball camps now. Basketball is changing people's minds and way of life," Wang said.

With the support of the SBA, the inaugural FIBA World Basketball Summit was held in Xi'an between October 3-4, 2018, with 500 senior officials in world basketball and the other related fields outlining a blueprint for the future development of the sport together.

The hometown of the terracotta warriors and horses also welcomed 20 men's and 20 women's teams from 33 countries and regions at the FIBA 3x3 U-23 World Cup held between October 3-7.

Wang said that Shaanxi will hold a number of competitions to expand the popularity of basketball all over the province in the coming year.

"For improving people's fitness and lifestyle, we will also try our best to attract more sponsors and open more basketball courts to the public," he added. Enditem

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