BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Overseas-based centers Li Yueru and Han Xu have been selected in China's roster for preparing for the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup qualifications.
The 15-woman roster announced Wednesday by the Chinese Basketball Association also included some prominent figures like Zhang Ru, Luo Xinyu and Yang Shuyu.
Li, who saw her 2025 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) season ended earlier due to an anterior cruciate ligament sprain in her left knee, will compete in the Unrivaled women's 3x3 league starting in January 2026, while Han plays with the Perth Lynx in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) in Australia.
"We will keep communicating with these overseas-based players, and they will join the team's training according to their schedules," explained China's women's basketball team coach Gong Luming.
Gong said his team will have a busy schedule in 2026, including the World Cup qualifications, the World Cup and the Asian Games, also with sights set on talent reserve for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
China finished third on home soil at the 2025 FIBA Women's Asia Cup.
"Following our review and training after the Asia Cup, we will focus on further building up our tactical system, improving players' stability on applying skills, and fostering a good mindset in major competitions this time," said Gong.
The veteran coach added that the roster will have dynamic adjustment based on other players' performances in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) league.
The 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup qualifications will be held from March 11 to 17, featuring 24 teams across four competition zones. 11 World Cup spots will be up for grabs.
Team China will play the World Cup qualifications in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, against Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Mali and South Sudan. ■
