Young prospects set to show their class in the United States

The 2025 cohort of the Joe Tsai Basketball Scholarship has been selected, with five male and two female standout student-athletes earning the opportunity to pursue their academic and basketball dreams at American boarding schools, the program announced Monday.

Now in its fifth year, the scholarship — which provides full financial support for tuition, boarding and related expenses through high school graduation — aims to develop China's next generation of basketball talent.

The initiative was established in 2019 when the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) launched the "Overseas Elite Study Program for Youth Basketball Talent," with four players initially receiving support from Alibaba chairman and scholarship founder Joe Tsai to study and train in the United States. This pilot program laid the groundwork for the scholarship, which became an independent program in 2021 with the CBA's official support.

CBA President Guo Zhenming reflected on the program's impact: "Over the past five years, this scholarship has supported 21 students. Some from the first cohort are now in college, while others are playing professionally. Several recipients have also represented China on national and international stages."

This year marked the program's first expansion to Hong Kong and Macao, drawing 171 qualified applicants nationwide. After initial screenings, 53 finalists, including 15 female players, advanced to a three-day training camp where they underwent physical tests, basketball skills assessments, competitive scrimmages, as well as academic and character reviews.

At the camp's closing ceremony in Hangzhou late last year, Tsai shared personal insights from his educational journey: "I'm deeply moved by the parents who support their children's dreams. I understand how challenging it is to leave home — I experienced those same emotions when I went abroad to study as a teenager. I'll never forget seeing my father's eyes fill with tears at my departure. But, sometimes, taking that courageous step is necessary to achieve something greater.

"Sports teach us that failure isn't to be feared — what matters is finding the courage to rise again, to face challenges head-on, and ultimately become better versions of ourselves," Tsai added.

After this comprehensive selection process, the seven scholarship winners were determined to be: Cai Zecheng from Fujian province, Geng Zixiong from Hubei province, He Jishu from Shandong province, Ju Jiayun from Zhejiang province, Li Kunyang from Guangdong province, Li Yitong from Beijing and Jiang Xiaolin from Hong Kong.

The recipients will begin their studies in the United States this fall.