Chinese league boosted by NBA woes

China's basketball league starts this weekend boosted by an exodus of star players fleeing the NBA lock-out, which has also given an opportunity to show more domestic games on national TV. J.R. Smith, Kenyon Martin, Wilson Chandler and China's own ex-Washington Wizards power forward Yi Jianlian are among numerous ex-NBA players suiting up for the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), which reopens on Sunday. Several out-of-contract NBA players signed for Chinese clubs rather than wait for a resolution of the financial dispute between clubs and players which has held up the start of the American season and could scuttle it altogether. "The foreign players coming to the CBA are getting better and better, competition in the league and the level of play is getting higher and higher," said Yi, who has joined up with reigning champions the Guangdong Tigers. "I can't wait for the games to start... I can't wait to play each one of these guys, I'm looking forward to enjoying every game." The champions open the season against Smith's Zhejiang Golden Bulls in a nationally televised game Sunday. The ex-Denver Nuggets guard was reportedly signed for a Chinese-record, one-year contract of US$3 million. China Central Television will air Zhejiang games at least once a week through November, a decision that came after Smith wowed spectators with 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a pre-season exhibition game. With a reported 300 million basketball fans in China, the state broadcaster has also increased the number of CBA games to be broadcast this season to up to five a week to fill the void left by the NBA lockout. After cancelling its November games, the NBA announced Tuesday that the 2011-2012 season would not begin until December 15 at the earliest, provided a collective bargaining agreement with players can be worked out. "The CBA has been having financial difficulties itself, so the NBA lock-out is providing the CBA with a marketing opportunity," Su Qun, editor of the popular Basketball Pioneers newspaper, told AFP. "This means higher revenues for the CBA, not only because of all the newly arrived NBA players, but also because there will be no NBA games to watch on television." Despite the influx of ex-NBA players and coaches, Guangdong are favourites to repeat as champions, boasting five national team players and former Dallas Mavericks forward James Singleton, one of the CBA's top scorers last season. Their main rivals will be the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, who signed former NBA All Star Martin and brought in one-time Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Robert Donewald, who also heads up China's national team. Xinjiang also boast seven-foot (2.12 metre) centre Menk Bateer, who won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003 during a brief NBA career. Other contenders include Zhejiang Guangxia, who signed former Nuggets forward Chandler and are coached by one-time Los Angeles Lakers assistant Jim Cleamons. Meanwhile, former New York Knicks star Stephon Marbury begins his third CBA season with the Beijing Ducks, the third team in his China career. Marbury, who is hoping to expand his Starbury line of shoes in China, has been learning Chinese and is a fan favorite for his commutes on the Beijing subway and a tattoo of his Chinese name, "Mabuli", across his forearm. The 34-year-old multi-millionaire has also voiced his hopes of one day coaching in the CBA and even the China national team. The CBA, founded in 1995, currently has 17 teams. The 34-round 2011-2012 season ends in late February and will be followed by an eight-team championship play-off.