RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 16 (Reuters) - There are some 300 million people playing basketball in China, almost the entire population of the United States, but for the second consecutive Olympics the Chinese men's squad could not win a single game.
The situation is not much better in the women's bracket where China also made an early exit from the Rio Games, their only success a win over Senegal, who at number 24 are the lowest ranked team in the competition.
The U.S. National Basketball Association and sportswear companies have invested decades and millions of dollars to develop a culture that is flourishing at the grassroots but it continues to produce few dividends at elite level.