So tough! From 3rd to 11th! The Chinese Basketball Association responds to the World Cup Qualifiers defeat.

Finally breaking the silence, the spokesperson of the Chinese Basketball Association addressed the two losses (76-80, 76-90) to South Korea in the World Cup Qualifiers as follows:

Indeed, two hours after the second qualifier match ended, the Chinese men's team held a meeting in the locker room. Guo Shiqiang’s intention was to have all players stay longer in the place of humiliation so they would not forget this disgrace.

Currently, the Chinese men's basketball team ranks third in Group B, only ahead of Chinese Taipei who also lost both games. Japan leads the group, with South Korea in second place.

The Chinese team still has four group stage games remaining in the World Cup Qualifiers: away against Japan on February 26 next year, away against Chinese Taipei on March 1, home against Japan on July 3, and home against Chinese Taipei on July 6.

According to the rules, the top three teams from each group advance to the second stage, carrying over their first-round results; in the second stage, 12 teams are divided into two groups, with the top three from each group plus the best fourth-placed team—seven teams in total—advancing, along with host Qatar, to the 2027 World Cup finals.

Due to losing all matches in the first window of the qualifiers, the Chinese men's team’s ranking on the latest FIBA power rankings has plummeted,dropping sharply from 3rd to 11thand now only ranking above Chinese Taipei.

The outcome is decided, so what more can be said? Blaming and insulting serve no purpose; we can only hope the Chinese team learns from this shame, quickly overcomes the shadow of the first window losses, regains the spirit shown during this year’s Asia Cup, and performs well in the upcoming matches.

The entire year of 2025 has been a rollercoaster for the Chinese men's team. This summer was especially wonderful, with Yang Hanshen being selected as an NBA first-round draft pick and winning the Asia Cup silver medal. However, by year-end, they suddenly took a heavy hit... it’s been thrilling, like riding a roller coaster, with heart medicine flying off the shelves.

Or perhaps it’s time to naturalize a backcourt player quickly? Apart from the injury-prone Zhao Rui, the current domestic Chinese team really lacks a reliable point guard to control the game.