Chris Tang caught our attention in February 2012, when it looked like he might be the best Chinese high school basketball player on the planet. He has the size (6-foot-3 last we checked, though he’s likely still growing), the athletic ability, and the shooting touch. He’s also enrolled at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, a veritable basketball factory that sends players to elite college programs across the country.
Grantland’s Jay Caspian Kang caught up with Tang in December and wrote this profile for Grantland. We’ve been curious about the kid’s progress ever since.
It turns out he’s currently buried at the end of the bench at Oak Hill, still waiting his opportunity. If that reminds you of someone, we don’t blame you, because Tang reminds everyone of that someone: Jeremy Lin.
That’s part of the problem. Tang wants to be his own man. “He’s Jeremy Lin, and I’m Chris Tang,” he says. Here’s to hoping he’s able to carve out his own identity.
This kid has a long way to go. He can’t even get on the starting rotation let alone minutes to play. Most likely some college will hand him a free ride to their college for publicity.