In the run-up to the Paris Olympics, Sunday night was a chance for China’s national team to see how they fare against the saddest lineup on the saddest team in the NBA.
The Charlotte Hornets, loaded with second-round picks and G-League talent, beat China by 31 points, 93-61. Charlotte literally had no standout players. LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges sat out the trip, Brandon Miller was called up to Team USA, and Mark Williams was still recovering from an injury. Even the team’s bench rotation didn’t suit up for Charlotte.
China struggled to deal with the devastating one-two punch of Bryce McGowans, who scored 20 points despite being released by the Hornets, and Jake Stevens, who added 14. Who is Jake Stevens? It would be surprising if you don’t know about the 24-year-old undrafted free agent who played for the Wizards’ G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go.
Meanwhile, China only had one player of value on the court: center Hansen Yang, a projected second-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft (and ultimately not selected), and the 7-foot-1 center finished with a team-high 12 points.
While there’s no doubt that international basketball is doing better than it’s ever been, the same cannot be said for China, and with the Olympics coming up, it’s incredibly disappointing that they can’t even field the tail end of the Charlotte Hornets rotation.
