Liu Yudong
刘玉栋
Personal information
Born (1970-10-23) October 23, 1970
Putian, China
NationalityChinese
Listed height6 ft 6.75 in (2.00 m)
Listed weight243 lb (110 kg)
Career information
NBA draft1992: undrafted
PositionPower forward
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  China
FIBA Asia Cup
Gold medal – first place 1993 Indonesia
Gold medal – first place 1995 South Korea
Bronze medal – third place 1997 Saudi Arabia
Gold medal – first place 1999 Japan
Gold medal – first place 2001 China
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 1994 Hiroshima
Gold medal – first place 1998 Bangkok
Silver medal – second place 2002 Busan

Liu Yudong (simplified Chinese: 刘玉栋; traditional Chinese: 劉玉棟; pinyin: Liú Yùdòng; nickname: "War God (战神)";[3] b. 1970 in Putian, Fujian), is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the Fujian Xunxing club in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).[4] At 2.00 m (6'6 3⁄4") and 243 lbs. (110 kg), he played at the power forward position. In 1990, he was chosen as one of China's 50 all-time greatest basketball players. He held the CBA record for most career points scored (8,387 points), until it was broken by Zhu Fangyu, on 1/1/2012. He was the CBA Regular Season MVP in 2002, and the CBA League MVP in 2002 and 2003, and is known as one of the greatest Chinese players of all-time.[5]

Professional career

Liu spent his first eight CBA seasons with the Bayi Rockets (1995–2003), where he became the second best scorer in CBA history, with a scoring average of 27.9 points per game. He was reportedly offered a contract by the Denver Nuggets in 1998, but turned it down as he would not be able to play for the national team. After winning the CBA championship in all but one season – 2002, to a Yao Ming-led Shanghai Sharks team, Liu retired in 2003, because of a knee injury. He came back the next season, and was voted to the CBA All-Star Game. Liu retired again in 2005, due to his troublesome knees, and he became an assistant coach for the Rockets. In 2007, Liu came out of a two-year retirement to lead the Fujian Xinxing and retired for the last time in 2009 at the age of 39.

Statistics

CBA Statistics

Year Team GP MPG FG% 3PT% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1995-96 Bayi 25 21.3 .568 .555 .774 5.4 1.8 1.3 1.1 24.2
1996-97 Bayi 28 27.8 .589 .432 .781 6.5 1.2 1.9 1.3 27.9
1997-98 Bayi 9 24.1 .505 .497 .682 3.8 0.4 0.6 0.8 20.1
1998-99 Bayi 28 29.4 .592 .387 .824 6.4 0.9 1.1 0.4 24.3
1999-2000 Bayi 30 28.0 .546 .343 .869 7.5 1.9 1.4 0.8 21.6
2000-01 Bayi 31 34.8 .590 .506 .837 9.3 2.8 1.6 0.7 29.2
2001-02 Bayi 35 38.6 .532 .441 .903 8.8 2.1 2.2 0.6 37.0
2002-03 Bayi 35 33.8 .547 .429 .912 6.2 1.6 1.7 0.9 30.2
2004-05 Bayi 47 32.0 .519 .368 .887 6.1 1.4 1.5 0.3 23.4
2007-08 Fujian 34 29.9 .496 .422 .833 5.2 0.7 1.1 0.3 17.8
2008-09 Fujian 50 15.8 .494 .440 .875 2.7 0.4 0.4 0.1 10.6

[6]

Personal life and player profile

Liu is a senior colonel in the People's Liberation Army. He was also the flag bearer of the Chinese sports delegation at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics and 2000 Summer Olympics.[7]

Liu is known for being one of the most lethal scorers in international basketball of all-time, with his signature mid-range jumper, often leading him to be referred as "中距离王 (Mid-range King)" by fans throughout China. Liu was also a very clutch player throughout his career, having many of his best games in the playoffs including a 53-point, 15-rebound performance against the Shanghai Sharks in game 4 of the 2001 CBA finals, clinching that year's championship.

Liu was one of the greatest players that China has ever produced, and one of 3 Chinese players in the 1990s that was offered a contract by an NBA team. In an exhibition prior to the 1996 Olympics, Liu scored 24 points and added 7 rebounds against Team USA in an 81-118 loss. Liu was a pure scorer at 2.00m and 243 lbs, but a lack of conditioning later in his career cost him a string of injuries that derailed the twilight years of his career.

Sources

  • Yao Ming: The Road to the NBA by C.F. Xiao, translated by Philip Robyn, Page 139

References

  1. ↑ "Basketballer Receives Top CBA Award". China Internet Information Center. January 20, 2005. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  2. ↑ "Dragon Vs Tiger: CBA All-star Competition". People's Daily. April 3, 2001. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  3. ↑ Yao Ming: The Road to the NBA by C.F. Xiao, translated by Philip Robyn, p. 198
  4. ↑ "Shortened season, lack of stars will impact CBA revenues". People's Daily. October 24, 2007. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  5. ↑ "刘玉栋:十块碎骨铺就封神路-考古系-网易体育". sports.163.com. Archived from the original on 2019-02-12. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  6. ↑ "Liu Yudong CBA stats".
  7. ↑ "Liu Yudong to Carry Flag for Chinese Sports Delegation". People's Daily. September 14, 2000. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
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