Kyle Anderson: Most Chinese Basketball Team Players Speak English Except Zhao Jiwei and Zhou Peng

Recently, NBA player Kyle Anderson appeared on a podcast program, where he talked about how he communicates with his teammates on the court.

Host: I have always felt that, given your basketball IQ and style of play, you are naturally a great fit for the international game. The fact that the U.S. national team did not select you back then is one thing, but your ability to read the game, your positionless style, and your reliance on team connections are all very suitable for FIBA basketball.

Kyle Anderson: I think so too. To be honest, in this environment, the basketball IQ of the teammates around you can sometimes be higher than that of some players in the NBA. Some NBA players have incredible physical talent, but their ability to read the game on the court is average and they do not know what they should be doing. That is the difference between the two playing environments.

Host: Regarding your chemistry with Chinese team teammates, when it comes to communication on the court, running plays, and timeout instructions, do you mostly communicate with teammates in English? Or is a translator basically always with you? How did you adapt to this communication system?

Kyle Anderson: There are probably only two players on the team, Zhao Jiwei and Zhou Peng, who do not speak English. Communicating with them occasionally requires an intermediary, but there is always someone on the court who can help translate. In addition, head coach Djordjevic does not speak Chinese, and he always has a translator with him. That translator also helps pass information to me. Other than that, basically all the other players can speak English. We also have a very heavy training schedule, with two practices a day, repeatedly refining tactics and going through drills again and again. By the time we reach official games, everything has been sorted out.

Host: Coach Djordjevic has lived and coached in Europe for many years. While coaching in Europe, he had to communicate in different languages depending on different situations. Coming to Asia this time, the players' levels and game experience are different, and he needs to build a crucial relationship of trust with the players in a short period of time. Did you notice what challenges he faced during this adjustment process?

Kyle Anderson: The language barrier between him and the players was obviously a major challenge. But as I said, the time we spent together off the court allowed him to build a strong relationship with the players, including me. When we got on the court, he did not need to change his coaching style. Sasha (Djordjevic) is a strict coach with high expectations. He shouts instructions and pushes us hard. It was because of the bond we built in a short time off the court that we were willing to trust him. Whether it was having meals together, watching other national teams play together, or taking half-court shots together after practice, these small things all mattered. Coach Djordjevic is very good at finding the right balance: he demands a lot from us while also making us feel his care for the players away from the court.