Chinese basketball players have never been so close to the NBA before but questions remain about how they will adjust to life in the NBA if they go.

      Wang Zhizhi, the 2.16-metre center for the Bayi Rockets who was chosen by the Dallas Mavericks two years ago, has finally received permission from authorities to travel to Dallas to play for the rest of the NBA season after he finishes playing in the Chinese Basketball Association’s finals on March 25th.If he has no problems with his visa£¬Wang will be the NBA’s first Asian player Wang was chosen by the Mavericks in the second round of the 1999 draft but the Rockets, and army-run club, refused to let him go. After negotiationsbetween the Rockets and NBA representatives,the decision was made to allow Wang the chance to try his hand at American basketball, but only for a period of short time. He has to be back to play in the Ninth National Games in November in Guangzhou.