Source: Global Times
[Global Times Comprehensive Report] American NBA star Howard , nicknamed " Warcraft ", announced on the 8th to join the Taoyuan Cloud Leopards of the T1 League. He has also become the biggest foreign aid in Taiwan's basketball history.
Taiwan's "China Times" said on the 9th that Howard, 36 years old, joined the Magic team as the No. 1 draft pick in 2004. Since the NBA stipulated that high school players cannot directly jump into the NBA since the 2006-2007 season, Howard became the last player in NBA history. A high school draft pick. He was an 8-time All-Star, 5-time rebounder, 3-time Defensive Player of the Year, and helped the Lakers win a championship in 2020. This time, he signed a one-year contract with the Taiwan Taoyuan Cloud Leopards. There is a precedent for
Taiwan basketball to introduce NBA stars. Another top pick Anthony Bennett is currently playing in the Taiwan PLG League. Su Yijie, general manager of the Clouded Leopards, said, "We have always wanted to invite a top NBA star. When I proposed the idea, the team's executives raised their hands in approval. During the communication process between the two sides, Howard has little to do except ask for a more comfortable apartment. Other special conditions, even meals, are handled by myself, and related training is fully coordinated with the team.” He also said that although the details of the contract could not be disclosed, Howard's monthly salary should start at least $200,000. Dongsen News Cloud disclosed that the monthly salary cap for foreign aid in the Taiwan T1 League is $20,000, but Howard is not subject to this limit. According to Taiwan media, the Taoyuan Clouded Leopard is expected to hold an official joining press conference for Howard on the 12th. Its jersey will be the familiar "No. 12". The Clouded Leopard will play at home on the 19th, and Howard will play. After the news of
came out, while the fans on the island were rejoicing, DPP officials also began to gain popularity. Taoyuan Mayor Zheng Wencan said that the addition of Howard will definitely increase the strength of the Clouded Leopards, increase the excitement of the game, and attract more fans to the stadium. Zheng Yunpeng, a candidate for mayor of Taoyuan from the DPP, said on Facebook on the morning of the 8th, "I just want to say that I have watched Warcraft play in the Magic since I was a child. His muscles and body are really advantageous, and he is almost skinny. version of O'Neal ". Netizens have questioned how old he is this year. "It turns out that 31 years old is when I was a child." Some people mocked and said, "I really watched the DPP as a kid." In the middle of the night on the 8th, Zheng Yunpeng posted another post saying, "The previous article joked that I watched him play with the Magic when I was a kid. That was already in 2005, when I was only in my early 30s... But I really don't understand a lot of people coming to wash. What do you leave a message for?" The result has sparked heated debate among netizens.
Taiwan currently has 3 basketball leagues. Among them, the PLG league was established in 2020, and T1 was established last year. The Clouded Leopards are one of the six start-up teams in the T1 league, but their record in the first season only ranked second to last in the league. In addition, there is the old SBL league on the island. Li Yizhong, secretary general of Basketball Association , believes that in addition to SBL, there are two new leagues, which will allow more people to have a stage to show their skills and increase the flow of players. There are also public opinions that Taiwan's basketball population base is not large, but it has three leagues and 17 teams, and there are many hidden worries. (Cheng Dong)
