Sharks’ captain Liu to join Flying Tigers

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July 2, 2014

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Sharks’ captain Liu to join Flying Tigers

By Ma Yue | July 2, 2014, Wednesday |

Print Edition

SHANGHAI Sharks captain Liu Wei is joining the Xinjiang Flying Tigers for the next Chinese Basketball Association season.

Both the Sharks and Tigers made the announcement on their official Weibo accounts yesterday, saying the 34-year-old national squad member is leaving his hometown to continue his career in Xinjiang.

“To give up on extending Liu Wei’s contract was a very tough decision for the club,” the Sharks’ notice read, thanking him for his contribution. Liu took a flight for Urumqi yesterday to join the Flying Tigers.

His reluctance to leave the Sharks was made obvious in his Weibo account where he posted a picture of the airport. “I used to come here to leave for away games. Today, it means the start of a farewell,” Liu wrote.

Liu joined Shanghai Youth team in 1994 and grew to become a key defender of the Sharks, which won their first and only CBA title in 2001-02.

According to Sharks spokesperson Zhang Chi the decision on Liu was inevitable taking into consideration the club’s financial and personnel situation.

Zhang said the club would continue to look for potential talents within the team. Liu’s No. 8 jersey will also be retired.

The Sharks were ousted 0-3 by the Guangdong Southern Tigers in the first round of the playoffs last season while the Flying Tigers were runners-up to champions Beijing Ducks.

The Sharks have hired former Sichuan boss Ma Yuenan as their new head coach to take over from Wang Qun.

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Sharks’ captain Liu to join Flying Tigers

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