Liao Sanning (No.5) dribbles during the match against South Korea, on November 28, 2025.

Despite China's loss to South Korea in Friday's World Cup Asian qualifier contest, point guard Liao Sanning emerged as a rare bright spot.

The 24-year-old contributed 17 points to the national team in his 26-minute court time, only second to 26-year-old power forward Zhang Zhenlin who scored 20 points. 

As China's head coach, Guo Shiqiang said the team takes the World Cup qualifiers as the buildup toward the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, the cultivation of young players is vital for Chinese basketball's resurgence.

"It's a pity we lost the game, which is a tough result for us, but we have to look ahead," Guo said after the loss, emphasizing that the squad must learn and adjust quickly before their away rematch with South Korea on Monday. 

Liao, attending the post-match news conference, said that the national team needs to improve its defensive intensity.

"We didn't bring the defensive intensity today that we showed at the Asia Cup. They were allowed to fire from the perimeter far too easily," Liao told reporters. "We'll fight to get it back in the next game."

Liao's performance was also singled out by Beijing-based sports commentator Zhu Meng.

"Liao's poise under pressure is exactly what the team has been lacking in recent years," Zhu told the Global Times. "But a single standout guard won't change the national team's fortunes unless the broader development system improves."

The Chinese national team has skipped the Olympics twice after finishing the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 with no wins in five group games.

En route to the FIBA Asia Cup final in August 2025, the Chinese team defeated South Korea 79-71. But Guo noted that no game result can be replicated. 

Liao's emergence has also rekindled discussions about China's youth development system, a topic directly linked to sweeping reforms in the CBA this season.

New rules introduced

In line with the long-term development of young players, the Chinese Basketball Association has made sweeping changes to the domestic top-tier basketball league CBA, which will start its new season on December 12.

Liao's emergence may well represent the kind of youthful infusion the CBA reforms aim to encourage: A young guard entrusted with significant minutes and responsibility on a key international stage. 

Among the most significant changes, each quarter will be shortened from 12 minutes to 10, bringing total game time to 40 minutes, in line with FIBA standards. 

For years critics have pointed out that the CBA's domestic rules diverged significantly from global basketball standards. 

By shifting to the 10-minute quarter model and adopting FIBA-style foul-out rules, the league aims to help players get used to the rhythm of international competition. 

"The duration of each quarter has been adjusted from 12 minutes to 10 minutes to help players better adapt to the rhythm and intensity of FIBA competitions, enhance their competitiveness on the international stage, and achieve a seamless transition from the league to the national team," Yang Yang, vice chief of the CBA, said when unveiling the league's new rules. 

Simultaneously, the league will eliminate rules such as mid-quarter timeouts, the old "six fouls to foul out" standard for individuals. 

Fu Zhenghao, a Beijing-based basketball commentator, noted that the CBA rule changes are what the national team needs.

"The CBA reforms are quite aligned with the needs of the national team," Fu told the Global Times. 

"Shorter quarters and increased youth minutes all point toward long-term competitiveness rather than short-term value."

Fu noted that the league is having a growing number of young players.

"Among the 339 domestic players registered for the new season, 197 were born after 2000, accounting for as much as 58 percent," Fu said. "While maintaining a reasonable balance between veterans and newcomers, the league is clearly trending younger."

Additional youth games

The CBA is also introducing a new experimental element to its regular-season framework - the so-called "potential games." 

After the main game, teams may field domestic players, particularly young players who receive limited minutes in the main rotation, in a 10-minute game. 

The "potential Games" do not affect the official result of the main game, but provide meaningful on-court experience, the league said.

"The goal is to give more playing time to emerging domestic talents, offering structured competitive exposure without compromising clubs' pursuit of wins," Yang said. 

In addition, the registration system has been adjusted: Clubs will face a cap on the total number of foreign players, helping stabilize foreign-player recruitment and avoid mid-season overhauls. 

Meanwhile, age restrictions for league registration have been eased, allowing promising young Chinese players to enter the top-tier league at an earlier age.

Yang said the change aims to "ensure outstanding young players are not restricted by age and can enter the top league earlier, allowing them to gain match experience as early as possible."

The young players' development is vital for developing a deeper and competitive squad for the Chinese national team on the international stage, analysts said.

"Yang Hansen's presence in the NBA has showed that domestic clubs could have the capability to produce high-level players when they were young," Zhu told the Global Times. 

"Everyone wants the national team to return to the Olympics, but it cannot happen by accident. If the reforms are implemented seriously, and young players are embraced, the CBA could finally become a genuine cradle for talents ready for the next World Cup, Olympics, and even beyond."

Zhang Zhenlin (No.77) goes for a layup during the World Cup qualifying match against South Korea, on November 28, 2025. Photos on this page: VCG