Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

While showcasing a scar on his forehead from a game at the 1998 Asian Games against South Korea, Chinese basketball icon Gong Xiaobin urged young players to surpass their predecessors and win glory for China at the recent induction ceremony for the 2024 class of the China Basketball Hall of Fame (CBHF) held at Tsinghua University in Beijing. 

Gong, along with eight other legendary figures in Chinese basketball, were officially inducted into the 2024 China Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday. 

Su Qun, a Beijing-based basketball commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday that the CBHF is a vital platform to honor legendary players, coaches, and contributors who have shaped Chinese basketball and helped China integrate with the global basketball community.

China's basketball history has developed largely in parallel with the global sport since the early 20th century, but the establishment of its Hall of Fame came relatively late. The CBHF aligns the country's basketball honor system with international standards, Su said. 

Since its inception in 2022, the annual induction brings the Hall of Fame's total to 42 individuals and three collectives, cementing its role in preserving China's basketball heritage. 

Li Yuanwei, chief expert of the CBHF committee, said at the induction symposium that the establishment of the Hall of Fame fulfills the long-held aspirations of generations of basketball professionals. 

As a cornerstone of Chinese basketball culture, its mission is to preserve historical glory, promote the spirit of sportsmanship, and inspire contemporary progress. Over the past three years, the Hall of Fame has evolved from an idea into reality, laying the foundation for a basketball culture system with distinct Chinese characteristics, according to Li. 

This year's induction featured a basketball clinic where several Hall of Fame members were invited to conduct a training session for China's U19 and U16 women's basketball teams, as well as the men's and women's teams at Tsinghua University.

One of the female inductees, Miao Lijie, who was also inducted into the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) Hall of Fame earlier in 2025, urged the young players to get tough in training as global women's basketball places a greater emphasis on physicality and fluidity of movement.

Taking a lesson from their role models fosters a sense of pride and responsibility among young players and inspires them to carry forward the legacy of their predecessors.

This time, the selection process introduced two new categories: Pioneers of Chinese Basketball and Outstanding Referees. 

The first referee to be inducted into the CBHF, 93-year-old Guo Yupei, shared his more than 70-year journey in basketball.

Carl Jungebrand, FIBA head of refereeing, extended his wishes for Guo's induction via a video message.

"I'm delighted to see that this year's Chinese basketball Hall of Fame includes a category for referees to recognize their remarkable contributions to the game of basketball. On behalf of the FIBA referee operations, I would like to congratulate Guo Yupei, for he has become the first inductee in the referees category of the Chinese basketball hall of fame," said Jungebrand.

"His achievement is not only for Chinese basketball, but also very well recognized by the global refereeing community. I hope that more outstanding referees will be inducted into the Chinese basketball Hall of Fame in the future, continuing to carry forward and uphold the spirit of basketball," Jungebrand noted. 

The Hall of Fame is continuously ­being improved and striving to recognize a broader range of contributors beyond just players and coaches. This expansion aims to include individuals who have made significant contributions to the sport, further enriching China's basketball culture and legacy, Su said.

To keep the Hall of Fame fresh and closer to the perceptions of young people, Su also suggested that three generations of basketball players be inducted into the Hall of Fame each year. This way, it can both honor the legends of the past and allow current fans to pay tribute to the basketball stars of the 1990s and 2000s they are familiar with.

Yi Jiandong, professor and expert of Olympic Studies of Wenzhou University in East China's Zhejiang Province, proposed at the induction symposium that more sports in China could establish their own Hall of Fame, and develop a cultural system for the entire project, Xinhua reported.

Solidifying sports culture will greatly benefit the social support and sustainable development of competitive sports. It will also be beneficial for expanding the popularity of mass sports and providing young people with early exposure to these values, Yi said.

While Gong's scar stands as a testament to past battles, his words strive to inspire victories yet to come. "This Hall of Fame isn't just about remembering. It's about lighting the way forward."

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. life@globaltimes.com.cn