The Harlem Wizards professional entertainment basketball team from the United States came to China on Saturday to sign an agreement which will see them perform here next year.

According to the plan, the Wizard team, with members who include former NBA and CBA players, and college standouts, will have at least four games from April 28 to May 8th in Beijing and other cities.

"We are a team with more tricks and creativity compared to other Harlem teams and we want to make more entertainment for Chinese fans," said Todd Davis, president of Wizards.

"It is great to come to China and help develop the sport here."

Apart from the games, Harlem Wizards will help China set up a Harlem basketball training camp, biding to offer platform for further exchanges between the two countries' entertainment basketball players.

Their first step was made on Sunday when the team staged a show at Beijing Dongdan Stadium, sharing the fun of basketball with hundreds of young Chinese Harlem fans.

Davis' team specializes in "trick hoops and alley-oops," including comic antics, trickery, dazzling ball handling and rim rocking slam dunks.

Compared to budding Harlem teams in China, Wizards was founded in 1962 by New York-based sports promoter and manager Howie Davis. The team has delighted audiences worldwide, and has played in over 5,000 games in the United States and abroad.

"China does not have many teams and they lack experience. But the most important thing is the passion to learn," David said.

"I do not think physical gap will restrain Chinese players from doing dazzling performances. They have the speed and fine skills,"

"The important thing is they show great tricks and try to come out with unique performances," he added.

Davis said China's Harlem basketball would reach a new height as long as they develop their own style.

"What you need is creativity and add more Chinese style to your basketball."

His advice was echoed by Han Wei, captain of Beijing's Show Time Entertainment Basketball Team, one of the only two Harlem-orientation teams in the capital.

"Our team was established in 2002 and we are still on a road of exploration," he said.

"We can follow what they do and learn a lot from VCD and TVs," said Han, whose team had a precious chance to play with three Wizards players on Friday in Beijing.

"We can do as well as what the Wizards did. I am sure we can get very closer in skill after one or two years."

But Han admitted the key point lies in the creativity.

"But what we lack most is cultural creativity. We need time to make our show more Chinese. If not, you can never catch up with them."

Like the Show Time team, entertainment basketball teams in China are amateur ones and consist most of students and some basketball enthusiasts.

"My team is not professional. But to me, it has become my full time job and I hope more and more people will get involved and give more entertainment and funs to Chinese fans," Han said.

(China Daily December 21, 2004)