Guangdong Women's Basketball Team Recruits WNBA All-Star Center

Chasity Melvin, a WNBA All-Star Center who once played for the Chicago Sky and was capped for the U.S., arrived in Guangzhou, South China, on October 9 to join the Guangdong Women's Basketball Team.
WNBA全明星球员、曾入选过美国女篮的芝加哥天空队中锋卓斯迪•梅芬10月9日早晨抵达广州，加盟广东女篮。

The most renowned overseas player in the WCBA, Melvin will play at the opening home game of the new season on the 18th of this month in Nanhai, Guangdong province.
她将参加广东队18日在广东南海的WCBA新赛季的揭幕战。她是WCBA历史上名气最大的外援。

The new season of the WCBA kicks off on Oct. 17th and CCTV will broadcast the game of Guangdong vs. Beijing in Hainan on Oct. 18th at 16:20. On the 21st the Guangdong team will play against Liaoning.
10月17日，WCBA赛季将拉开帷幕；18日下午4时20，广东在南海首战北京队，中央电视台将“破天荒”进行现场直播；21日，广东迎战辽宁。

Chasity Melvin (in black) is welcomed by staff from the Guangdong Women Basketball Club at the Baiyun Airport in Guangzhou. (Guangzhou Daily)
广东女篮俱乐部的成员在广州白云机场欢迎卓斯迪•梅芬（身着黑衣者）（《广州日报》记者摄）


Refreshed through Cantonese Morning-tea Breakfast
“叹广式早茶”驱疲劳

Three vice presidents and five players from the Guangdong Team welcomed Ms. Melvin at the Baiyun International Airport on the morning of Oct. 9th.
广东亚铝派出3位副总裁与5名队员前往广州机场迎接梅芬。

“It is the first time I have been in China,” Ms. Melvin said. “Guangzhou is a large city. Compared with many cities where I have played games, even Chicago, Guangzhou is really a large modern city.”
“我是第一次来中国，第一次来广州。“广州非常大，我以前去欧洲打球，对比起欧洲的城市，还有芝加哥，广州都称得上是个大都市。””梅芬说。

After leaving Baiyun Airport Ms. Melvin got a taste of the soul of Cantonese life at China Hotel: Dim Sum. She used a fork to help herself to the breakfast. “I have been to Chinatown in the States. But it is truly different to be in China.”
离开白云机场后，梅芬在中国大酒店亲身体验广州生活的“精髓”——喝早茶。梅芬用叉子吃点心也吃得很开心，“我在美国的时候去过唐人街，真正到了中国感觉是完全不一样的。”


Just like her basketball uniform in the States, Ms. Melvin’s number is 44. The Guangdong Team has prepared a cell phone for her with a local number that also ends with 44. “I like 44,” said Ms. Melvin.
梅芬的球衣号码为44号，和她在芝加哥天空队的号码一样，此外球队还送给梅芬一部手机和一个本地的移动电话号码，这个电话号码的尾号也是44。“我喜欢44号。”梅芬说。

After two days of rest, Ms. Melvin started practicing with the team.
梅芬休息了两天后，已参加了和球队的合练。


Lavishing Guangdong possibly recruiting another WNBA player
广东重金投入，另一位WNBA球员可能加盟

The Guangdong Team is also talking of inviting another WNBA player for next season, Candace Parker from the L.A. Sparks.
广东女篮本赛季资金投入和变化很大，在更换了主教练、引进卓斯迪•梅芬之外，还可能引进另一位WNBA球员——洛杉矶火花队的“女飞人”堪达斯•帕克。

A WCBA team is allowed to invite two overseas players.
WCBA的球队有权引进两名外援。
 
If the team invites Ms. Parker after this season, the cost of the overseas players will be more than the total salary of all the players on one WCBA ball club. Lv Zhijia, manager of the club, said they are investing so much in order to reach their goal of top four.
倘若球队在季后赛时还要签下帕克，光外援薪金的支出，就可能比WCBA联赛中一家俱乐部的全体球员薪金支出还高。俱乐部总经理吕志佳表示：我们投入那么大，目标就是打进前4名。”。

On the court of the WCBA, no one can achieve a 30-40 point score in one game like Ms. Melvin. “She is excellent and very important for our team,” said one player.
WCBA赛场上几乎没有像梅芬这样能单场拿下30分～40分的球员。“梅芬的体质十分优秀，她对我们在内线上的补充很重要，并带来变化。”广东女篮球员魏伟评价道。

It is hoped that investment in the Guangdong Women’s Basketball Team will shake up and refresh the WCBA.
广东女篮的投入被业内认为可能给近几年陷入低谷的WCBA联赛带来“地震”和活力。

Source: Lifeofguangzhou.com

Editor: Ronald Li