The Shanghai Sharks (simplified Chinese: 上海久事大鲨鱼; traditional Chinese: 上海久事大鯊魚; pinyin: Shànghǎi Jǐushì Dàshāyú) are a Chinese Basketball Association team based in Shanghai.[3]

Shanghai Sharks
上海久事大鲨鱼
LeaguesCBA
Founded1996; 28 years ago (1996)
HistoryShanghai Sharks
(1996–present)
ArenaShanghai Indoor Stadium[1]
Capacity13,000
LocationShanghai, China
Team colorsBlue, Orange, White
     
Head coachLu Wei
OwnershipShanghai Jiushi Group[2]
Championships1 (2002)
Websiteshanghaisharks.cn
Shanghai Sharks
Traditional Chinese上海大鯊魚
Simplified Chinese上海大鲨鱼
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinShànghǎi dàshāyú
Wade–GilesShanghai tashayü
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationSeung hoi2 daai6 sa1 yu2
JyutpingSeong hoi2 daai6 saa1 jyu4

The Sharks, who share their colors with the New York Knicks, are best known outside China for having developed Yao Ming before he entered the National Basketball Association. Yao was the driving force behind their three consecutive appearances in the finals (1999–2000, 2000–01, and 2001–02), facing the Bayi Rockets each time. The Sharks were runners-up the first two years, but won for the first time on their third try, breaking the Rockets' streak of six CBA championships in a row.

In August 1979, the Sharks played the Washington Bullets, the first NBA team to travel to China,[4]: 156  with Yao Zhiyuan - father of Yao Ming - as their center.[4]: 156 

The team faced serious financial issues in the 2008–09 season, and were in danger of not being able to compete in the following season. On July 16, 2009, Chinese media reported that Yao Ming had stepped in to purchase the team.[5]

In the 2021–22 season, under Li Chunjiang, the Sharks experienced a high bested only by the Yao era, reinvigorating their place among China's best basketball teams.[6][7] Around that time, alongside the CBA as a whole, they became an Internet meme as a future landing spot for high-profile NBA stars who underperform in a game or series, particularly in the playoffs. Kyle Kuzma, Ben Simmons, and Dillon Brooks were prominent victims of such jokes.[8][9][10][11]

Honours

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CBA
Champions (1): 2001–02
Runners-up (2): 1999–2000, 2000–01
Merlion Cup
Winners (1): 2016

Players

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Roster

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Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Shanghai Sharks roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Ht. Wt.
G 1   Li Tianrong 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 89 kg (196 lb)
PG 3   Yuan Tangwen 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 79 kg (174 lb)
PG 4   Javontae Hawkins 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 95 kg (209 lb)
PF 5   D. J. Wilson 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 104 kg (229 lb)
C 9   Yan Pengfei 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 116 kg (256 lb)
G 10   Xie Lirongwei 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 86 kg (190 lb)
SG 11   Liu Cheng 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 86 kg (190 lb)
G 12   Dai Hao 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 78 kg (172 lb)
F 14   Li Hongquan 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 102 kg (225 lb)
G/F 18   Liu Zipeng 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 90 kg (198 lb)
G/F 19   Liu Zhengqing 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in) 90 kg (198 lb)
SF 20   Dong Hao 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 95 kg (209 lb)
SF 21   Ma Diancheng 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 97 kg (214 lb)
PG 22   Eric Bledsoe 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 97 kg (214 lb)
G 25   Wan Menglin 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 88 kg (194 lb)
PF 32   Liu Lijia 2.06 m (6 ft 9 in) 103 kg (227 lb)
PG 33   Luo Hanchen 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 82 kg (181 lb)
C 35   Kenneth Lofton Jr. 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 122 kg (269 lb)
C 94   Wang Zhelin 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) 121 kg (267 lb)
Head coach
  •   Lu Wei
Assistant coach(es)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  •   Injured

Updated: December 6, 2024

Sponsorship

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As of 2021, the team's jersey sponsor has been the Chinese sportswear brand Li-Ning.[12]

Notable players

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Sharks players who have either set a club record or won an individual award as a professional player or who have played at least one official international match for his senior national team at any time include:

References

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  1. ^ "新年新面貌!徐家汇体育公园升级焕新颜_上观新闻".
  2. ^ Huang, Andrea (29 April 2019). "Shanghai Sharks Basketball Club fully acquired by Shanghai Jiushi". Yutang Sports. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  3. ^ 上海哔哩哔哩篮球俱乐部官方网站. Shanghai Sharks.
  4. ^ a b Minami, Kazushi (2024). People's Diplomacy: How Americans and Chinese Transformed US-China Relations during the Cold War. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9781501774157.
  5. ^ "Yao buys Shanghai Sharks". ESPN.com. Reuters. 2009-07-16. Retrieved 2009-07-16.
  6. ^ a b c CBA Roundup: Liaoning, Shanghai earn eight straight wins Xinhua (China Internet Information Center), 11 November 2021. Accessed 11 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Hu's career-high sees Guangdong win streak reach 5". China.org.cn. 27 October 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  8. ^ Recks, Johnny (17 July 2021). "Trolls Who Want Kyle Kuzma to Suit up for Shanghai Sharks Receive Some Bad News". ClutchPoints. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  9. ^ Abele, Natalie (21 June 2021). "Someone put Ben Simmons on the Shanghai Sharks' roster on Wikipedia after Game 7 loss". Fansided. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023.
  10. ^ Silva, Orlando (3 September 2021). "Shanghai Sharks Incredibly Listed as a Possible Destination for Ben Simmons". Fadeaway World. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  11. ^ Kulkarni, Divij (29 April 2023). "Lakers Fan Ruthlessly Trolled Dillon Brooks Before Lakers vs. Grizzlies Game: "Shanghai Sharks Brooks"". Fadeaway World. Archived from the original on 2 May 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  12. ^ a b Ein Veteran für die Towers Ralf Schmitt (Bild), 25 October 2021. Accessed 26 October 2021.(in German)
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