One More Defeat Could End His Tenure? CBA President Pressures Guo Shiqiang as Zhao Rui Plays Through Injury in Korea

In the opening matchup of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, China’s men’s basketball team started their campaign with a frustrating and disappointing loss. Facing our long-time rivals South Korea, Team China fell behind by nearly 20 points at one stage and ultimately suffered a 76–80 defeat on home court. This result not only puts China in an early precarious position, but also shakes the reputation of head coach Guo Shiqiang, who had just recently guided the team to a strong runner-up finish at the Asia Cup.

It’s important to note that South Korea not only played away from home, but also lacked several key players, including naturalized talent. Yet China showed clear shortcomings—outdated tactical concepts, overly conservative rotations, and at times what looked like an absence of offensive strategy. Compared to the spirited, decisive, and well-synchronized China squad seen during the summer Asia Cup, this version of the team seemed to lack direction and rhythm.

Offensively, China relied heavily on Zhou Qi’s individual post-ups, with little evidence of coordinated team play. On defense, the team repeatedly failed to contain basic pick-and-roll actions, allowing Lee Hyun-jung to dominate with an impressive 33 points and 14 rebounds. The once-effective fast-breaks and agile small-ball formations were nowhere to be seen, replaced by predictable interior attacks and slow defensive rotations. The result: China spent almost the entire game playing from behind and reacting instead of dictating.

With Zhao Rui sidelined by injury, China also lost both its central playmaker and its defensive anchor on the perimeter. The team struggled with offensive organization, lacked clutch scorers to break through Korean pressure, and suffered further from the absence of key wing rotation player Wang Junjie, leaving a big hole in depth and mobility on the flanks. Even with Zeng Fanbo and Zhang Zhenlin back on court, the void could not be fully addressed. To make matters urgent, Zhao Rui is now expected to return to the lineup in the upcoming away game in South Korea—despite not being fully recovered. His return will undoubtedly boost morale and stability, but whether he can immediately reinvigorate China on both ends of the floor remains uncertain.

This defeat has clearly caught the attention of the top leadership of the Chinese Basketball Association. According to sources, shortly after the game, CBA Chairman Guo Zhenming held an urgent meeting with coach Guo Shiqiang. Images that surfaced show a stern and pressured conversation—the stakes visibly high for the next matchup. While the details of the discussion remain undisclosed, it is widely believed that another loss could place Guo Shiqiang at serious risk of dismissal.

While Zhao Rui’s return will certainly help alleviate some offensive issues, China’s deeper challenges remain structural: outdated tactical systems, excessive reliance on traditional interior scoring, and insufficient real-time strategic adjustments. If China hopes to keep pace with modern international basketball, the team will need more spacing, more dynamic offensive sets, and an updated approach. Continuing to force low-post attacks through Zhou Qi—who is not a classic back-down scorer—is simply not an efficient path forward.

For Guo Shiqiang, the upcoming away game is no longer just another fixture—it may be the defining test of his tenure, and perhaps of China’s strategic direction going forward.