The four players in the latest China men’s national basketball squad who are least suited to international competition, including three guards

1. Gao Shiyan
The main reason he is not suited for international competition is that his overall skill set does not meet international-level standards.
As a guard, Gao Shiyan has inconsistent outside shooting, average ability to create separation off the dribble, a relatively small physical frame, and lacks standout mental toughness.
Relying solely on hustle and aggressive defense is very difficult to sustain at the international level.
In the recently concluded FIBA Asia Cup group stage, his highest average scoring output was only 5 points per game, which clearly highlights these issues.

2. Cheng Shuipeng
His problem lies in the combination of guard height limitations and insufficient forward fundamentals.
His height restricts his effectiveness and physical competitiveness on the guard line, yet he does not possess strong enough guard skills to compensate for this weakness.
He may be useful against teams like Japan or the Philippines, whose guards are generally smaller, but expecting him to significantly raise the team’s ceiling is clearly unrealistic.

3. Zeng Fanbo
The reasons he is not suited for international competition are that he is overrated and his development has stagnated.
He did show star potential early on, but in recent years there has been no obvious improvement.

• Playing small forward: inconsistent three-point shooting
• Playing power forward: lacks post footwork and a reliable mid-range game
• Defending small forwards: lateral quickness is insufficient
• Defending power forwards: weak rebounding protection

If he cannot find a clear and suitable role, Zeng Fanbo is very likely to end up following the path of a Du Runwang–type role player.

4. Wang Lanqin
The issue is his very limited actual impact in international games.
In the CBA, his agility and basketball IQ remind people of a “budget Zhao Jiwei,” but at the international level:

• His thin frame leads to a drop in defensive quality
• His playmaking is constrained
• Turnovers increase under high-pressure defense
• He struggles to create separation offensively

As a result, it is difficult for him to provide a consistently positive impact for the team.