Hu Weidong (simplified Chinese: 胡卫东; traditional Chinese: 胡衛東; pinyin: Hú Wèidōng; born January 3, 1970, in Xuzhou, Jiangsu) is a former Chinese professional basketball player. At 6'6" (1.98 m) tall, and 210 lbs. (95 kg), he played as a point guard-shooting guard-small forward.

Hu Weidong
Personal information
BornJanuary 3, 1970
Xuzhou, Jiangsu, China
Listed height1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Listed weight210 lb (95 kg)
PositionGuard / small forward
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  China
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 1994 Hiroshima Team competition
Gold medal – first place 1998 Bangkok Team competition
Silver medal – second place 2002 Busan Team competition

Professional career

edit

In 1985, Hu joined the Jiangsu Dragons' junior teams. He was a two-time MVP (1996 and 1997) in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), and he led the league in scoring three times.

Considered to be China's version of National Basketball Association (NBA) megastar Michael Jordan, Hu was offered the chance to play in the NBA league in 1998, but he was injured when the Dallas Mavericks offered him a contract, and he thus failed to become the first Chinese to play in the NBA. He was then offered a short term 10-day contract with the Orlando Magic in 2000, but he was injured shortly after, and was unable to take up the offer.

Chinese national team

edit

Hu represented the senior men's Chinese national basketball team from 1987 to 2002. Hu made a half court shot in the 1994 Goodwill Games, in which China collected the bronze medal, their only medal in non Asian play. He was the FIBA Asia Cup MVP in 1999.

Coaching career

edit

From 2005 to 2008, Hu was the head coach of his former team as a player, the Jiangsu Dragons. He accepted the job as the head coach of the Jiangsu Dragons again in December, 2011.

edit