Since the Olympics in 2008 and the formation of the CBA, there’s been a staggering demand for high-level basketball games in China. The country’s investment in the NBA and numerous national leagues has elevated the standard of the game making it one of the biggest markets for international players.
With this in the spotlight, an underground basketball scene emerged, showcasing a captivating blend of tradition, street spirit, and sheer passion that swept through the hearts and souls of the nation.
Unlike the glamorous stages and hardwood of the professional leagues, Wild Ball Basketball started on the gritty, unforgiving asphalt of Chinese streets bringing high-level showcases to the rural community – to people who may never witness a professional game live but will pay an arm and a leg to experience an atmosphere that mimics it.
A Quick Dive
The structure of wild ball matches the ‘wild’ moniker. Local community leaders organize these games and tournaments, which may occur in one or more venues to win the people over. Professional players are often recruited to play since there is a high demand for a good showing and decent prize money. These players are compensated generously for their services especially when a desired outcome is achieved.
In a recent documentary, an ex-CBA player was alleged to have made 2 million yuan ($273,400) playing in these competitions over 4 -5 months. Aside from a decent salary, most players are well-cared for enough to wave goodbye to the idea of playing in Europe.
Average salaries & duration of some top leagues in Europe
Spain ACB -$200,000 – 10 months
Russian VTB - $125,000 – 8 months
France Pro A – $200,000 – 9 months
Euroleague - $350,000 – 7 months
NBA G-league - $37,000 – 5 months
Schedules are particularly unpredictable because it takes the form of AAU/high school tournament with a lot of games and travel within a short period. This is certainly one of the downsides of this style of basketball as the body consistently takes a beating.
Additional games may be added without notice since team owners want to maximize their investment in employing pro players - it's only fair to have them play as much as they can when they're only here for a short time.
There are numerous anomalies with the nature of wild ball that foreign players may find absurd. A team owner, for example, may want to intentionally lose a game or have an opponent player score several times – sometimes, it's win at all costs, and other times, it's about putting on a spectacle.
A Global Appeal
What began as a street sensation in China has slowly transcended borders. Smaller basketball nations are adopting the wild ball structure to entertain less exposed cities to basketball, capture people’s attention, and develop a love for the sport.
As days turn into years, wild ball promises to be a game changer in the realm of urban sports across the globe.
Kobe Bryant, 2013
“If today was a playoff or NBA Finals [game], could I play? Probably.
If that game were in China, there would be riots if I didn’t play.”