Ma Jian (basketball)

Ma Jian (Template:Zh; born 20 August 1969 in Shijiazhuang, Hebei) is a former professional basketball player from China. He is known for playing college basketball in the United States and was among the first Chinese nationals to play competitive basketball in the United States.

Early life

Ma was one of two children born to 6'3" basketball coach Ma Deichai and 5'4" Zhang Yumin in Tianjin.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At 16 years old, he wanted to become a basketball player.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He attended a basketball camp conducted by Jim Harrick, the head coach for the UCLA Bruins.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

College career

In 1992, Ma came to the US. He was recruited by Harrick to play for UCLA, but he failed the entrance exam due to his lack of fluency in English.<ref name=":2" /> He would instead play for junior college Utah Valley Community College after completing a year at a Chinese university.<ref name="deseret" /><ref name=":2" /> In 1992, he averaged 17.9 points and five rebounds.<ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Ma then transferred to play college basketball for two years with the University of Utah.<ref name="deseret">Template:Cite news</ref> This made him the first Chinese to play in the NCAA D-1.<ref name=":4">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In his first season under Rick Majerus, he averaged 8.7 points and 3.7 rebounds while starting all but one of Utah's 28 games. However, a lack of communication between them led to Ma only averaging 3.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists with only three starts.<ref name=":5">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":3" /> In his final home game with Utah, Majerus delivered a tribute to him in Mandarin.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Professional career

Attempting to break into the NBA, Ma was able to play exhibition games with the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Clippers in the team's summer-league programs in 1994. He was among the final cuts for the 1995–96 Clippers roster, but he did not feature in any regular games for the Clippers.<ref name="deseret" /> He attempted to return to China to play in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), but the CBA refused to let him in.<ref name=":3" />

Ma had a brief stint in the Philippines, playing for the Hapee Cavity Fighters of the Philippine Basketball League (PBL). He helped Hapee clinch the 1996 PBL Reinforced Conference title – the first for the franchise.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was popular in the Philippines, with many Filipino-Chinese fans watching his games live.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He later returned to China to play for the Beijing Olympians of the CBA, until he left during and sued them.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> He then signed a one-year contract with the Shanghai Sharks.<ref name=":3" /> In 2003, he signed with the Jilin Northeast Tigers to return to the Philippines, as the team competed at the 2003 PBA Invitational championship.<ref name=":0" /> They were winless in that tournament.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

National team career

Ma first made the China men's national under-19 basketball team in 1986.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He then competed in the 1990 Asian Games and the 1992 Summer Olympics for the Chinese men's national basketball team.<ref name="deseret" /><ref name=":6" /> During the 1992 Olympics, he was benched as China lost all of its games due to political reason.<ref name=":4" /> He then turned down the decision to play in the 1996 Summer Olympics as he was still trying to make the roster for the Clippers.<ref name=":3" /> His decision to pursue a career in the United States reportedly led to his exclusion to the Chinese national team.<ref name="deseret" /><ref name=":6">Template:Cite news</ref>

Personal life

Ma is married to Simiko Takahashi, a Japanese-American. They have two sons.<ref name=":3" /> His only brother, Ma Ming, attempted to play college basketball in the Philippines for Ateneo, but after failing math, became a Nike executive and now runs his own sports agency.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He has a sports foundation, named after him, that focuses on sports education.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After retiring, he became a basketball commentator on television, and covered the 2008 Olympics.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":5" /> He had previously covered Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals on Chinese television.<ref name=":3" />

Filmography

Year	English title	Chinese title	Role	Notes
2010	Lost on Journey	人在囧途	Vendor
	Welcome to Shama Town	决战刹马镇	Gui Zhong
	Seven Arhat	七小罗汉	Big Idiot
	You Deserve to Be Single	活该你单身	Bald patient
2011	The Founding of a Party	建黨偉業	School janitor
2012	The Assassins	銅雀臺	Guard commander