From a rebellious youth to a leader, this is the transformation of a grown man.

At the FIBA Asia Cup, what touched me most was Zhao Rui’s words: "I don’t know how many more matches I can play for the national team. I appreciate my teammates letting me play one more game."

For Zhao Rui, each knockout match might be the final one of his national team career. So after knocking out South Korea, Zhao Rui tearfully spoke these words to the camera.

In the next game, he cried again. In the semifinal against New Zealand, the moment the final buzzer sounded, all the emotions Zhao Rui had been holding back poured out. While other teammates were celebrating, only the Chinese captain Zhao Rui could no longer hold back his tears on the court.

In that game, he scored a team-high 24 points. He left the court injured in the second quarter but returned in the second half. In the fourth quarter, he scored 5 consecutive points to decide the game. The miraculous banked three-pointer at the end was the best example of divine help for those who help themselves. Before the Asia Cup started, Zhao Rui said he wanted to win a medal. He fulfilled his promise and completed the transformation from a big boy to a man.

Basketball Association chairman Guo Zhenming highly praised Zhao Rui: "Zhao Rui has undergone the transformation from a big boy to a man. Opponents provoke and target him on the court, but he endures it all because he has a bigger goal in his heart."

Zhao Rui’s maturity is comprehensive. During this Asia Cup, he never lost his temper. Facing provocations and even dirty fouls from opponents, Zhao Rui quietly endured them all because he knew he had a greater goal in mind.

In the final against Australia, it was Zhao Rui’s hustle that caused the opponent’s dirty foul, earning two free throws and possession. The opponent’s elbow hit hard; Zhao Rui played almost the entire Asia Cup injured. Yet at that moment, he showed no emotional fluctuation and calmly made both free throws, setting up the final winning chance.

Throughout the Asia Cup, Zhao Rui averaged 13.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He was the team’s assist leader, with a shooting percentage of 42.4% and three-point accuracy of 33.5%. Although his overall efficiency was not high, there is no doubt he is the reason for the team’s unity and their spiritual leader.

However, before this national team, Zhao Rui almost chose to retire from the team. He said, "If Coach Guo hadn’t called me back, I would have already retired from the national team." Guo Shiqiang not only recalled Zhao Rui but also gave him the captain’s role. Zhao Rui said, "He said he believed I could handle it, and that trust made it impossible for me to refuse."

Before that, Zhao Rui’s national team record was quite bleak. He was part of the darkest period of Chinese men’s basketball. At the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, as a newcomer, Zhao Rui helped the team win the championship, scoring 16 points and 6 assists in the final. At 22 years old, his future looked very promising.

But who would have thought that would become the peak of Zhao Rui’s national team career for several years. What followed was the 2019 World Cup. Zhao Rui and Zhou Qi’s sideline mistake pushed the team into a slump. A photo of Zhao Rui wearing a USA team training shirt after the game led to an internal suspension and heavy negative criticism.

That was the closest Zhao Rui had come to the Olympics, yet it ended up so far away. At the 2022 Asia Cup, Zhao Rui played despite a 39-degree fever, but the team lost in the quarterfinals to Lebanon, sinking further into the low point.

At the 2023 World Cup, Zhao Rui made another push for the Olympics. His scoring was second only to naturalized player Lee Kyle, but the team lost by 80 points in three games. In the placement matches, they suffered a humiliating 21-point defeat to the Philippines and finished 29th out of 32 teams, missing the Olympics again.

At 27, Zhao Rui was disheartened. Years of consecutive failures had drained him. He said desperately, "I really want to play in the Olympics even if it’s just once, even just one game, I would be willing."

From 2023 to 2025, Zhao Rui went through a lot. He transferred from Guangdong to Xinjiang and suffered ongoing injuries there. Last season, frustrated by a referee’s no-call on a foul, he confronted the referee directly and was ejected. Afterwards, he was fined 100,000 yuan and suspended for five games, the maximum penalty.

This incident happened in January. It’s hard to connect that Zhao Rui with the one at the Asia Cup. In half a year, Zhao Rui transformed from a hot-headed troublemaker into the national team’s leader. Wearing this jersey and carrying certain responsibilities, Zhao Rui grew from a big boy into a real man.

At this Asia Cup, I even saw Zhao Rui helping opponents to their feet. His personality might still be fiery, but now he carries a heavier burden on his shoulders, so he can keep things under control in his heart.

Although the Asia Cup has no bearing on Olympic qualification, it is at least a good start, a turning point from the bottom up. Zhao Rui, not yet 30, still has hope and is waiting for the next chance to fight for the Olympics.

Zhao Rui’s dream is to play in the Olympics at least once in his life, and my wish is for Chinese men’s basketball to return to the Olympics soon, reclaiming what was lost over the past years.