On October 8, the Shanxi Flame Bamboo Leaf Green women’s basketball team held a press conference at the Shanxi Sports Center to kick off the new season. With several college players joining the roster, the team is successfully transitioning from a veteran lineup to a younger squad, aiming to secure a playoff berth this season.
Last season, Shanxi finished with an impressive record of 26 wins and 10 losses, landing in 7th place during the regular season and reaching the playoffs for the twelfth consecutive year. They started the playoffs strong, achieving a “double victory” over the Beijing Women’s Basketball team and advancing to the second round. However, their journey ended in the quarter-finals against the Sichuan Women’s team, concluding the 2023-2024 season in 7th position.
Looking ahead to the new season, the league has expanded from 19 to 21 teams, introducing group stages and a new policy allowing four quarters with seven substitutions for foreign players. The Shanxi women’s team has hired Serbian coach Momir, along with assistant coach Baya, while retaining their domestic coaching staff from the previous season, which includes advisor Chen Weidong, assistant coach Li Baijin, and fitness coach Qu Xiaodong.
In their player recruitment efforts, the team has brought in two standout WNBA foreign players, Kelsey Mitchell and Olivia Nelson. They’ve also signed top domestic talents like Song Kexin from the national university league and Liu Wenwen from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. With the return of national three-on-three team members Zhang Yi and Chen Yujie from injury, the team’s transition is looking even stronger.
Captain Zhang Yi expressed enthusiasm for the season ahead, stating, “We will train rigorously under the club’s scientific management and the professional guidance of our coaching staff. We are eager to absorb advanced concepts and techniques to continuously improve our skills, ultimately delivering exciting matches for basketball enthusiasts and fans.”
Zhang Jian, the general manager of Shanxi Xingrui Professional Basketball Club, underscored the team’s commitment to embodying the spirit of “unity, hard work, and progress” as they move forward. The goal for the upcoming season is to secure a playoff spot while aiming for an even higher ranking within the top eight.
