Chinese center Wang Zhizhi became the first Asian going to America's National Basketball Association (NBA), but he is not the first Chinese player being drafted by NBA and having played in US.

Song Tao, Chinese national team center in the 80's, was drafted by Atlanta Hawks in 1986. He signed a one-year contract worth of 70,000 U.S. dollars with Hawks, but did not go to America because of head-to-head serious injuries on his knee.

Ma Jian, forward from Hebei province, was the first Chinese player in the pre-season training camp when he was with Los Angles Clippers in 1995. He failed to become a Clipper and came back to play in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).

The first Chinese basketball player going to America is Chinese women's national team center, Zheng Haixia. Zheng signed with WNBA side Los Angles Sparks in 1996 for two years.

(People's Daily 03/30)