National basketball team open to naturalized players: Yao

Chinese men's national basketball team does not rule out the possibility of recruiting naturalized players, said Yao Ming, the chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association. 

The association holds an open attitude to naturalized players, but the naturalization process needs to conform to the laws and regulations of the country, as well as the rules of the FIBA, basketball's world governing body, Yao said on Friday.

He said cultural integration is another issue to be considered when a foreign player is naturalized.

The national team aims to make it past the group stage in this year's FIBA World Cup, Yao added.