GUIYANG, China, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Former NBA star Tracy McGrady interacted with grassroots basketball players for about 40 minutes on Saturday night in Taipan village, Taijiang county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, the birthplace of the Village Basketball Association known as "Cun BA."

Amid loud cheers from the spectators, McGrady walked through a welcoming crowd at the entrance toward the center of the "Cun BA" basketball court.

"This is the greatest thing I have ever seen in my life," McGrady said, greeting the audience in Mandarin learned from the event host. "I love 'Cun BA'."

He also learned about the phrase "Ye Qing Hui" in Chinese, meaning "my youth comes back", which Chinese fans use in reference to his feat of scoring 13 points in 35 seconds in Houston Rockets' 81-80 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in an NBA regular season game on December 9, 2004, a performance that has inspired many Chinese basketball fans.

Taipan is known as a hub for grassroots basketball in China. In July 2022, the traditional basketball event held here during the "Chixin Festival" which falls on the sixth day of the sixth month of China's lunar calendar, went viral online, gaining nationwide attention and even international recognition to earn the affectionate nickname "Cun BA" from netizens.

Over the past three years, the "Cun BA" has remained popular in China, with cumulative online exposure exceeding 100 billion views as of July this year. The tournament often attracts thousands of spectators from across the country and has drawn current and former NBA stars such as Jimmy Butler, Allen Iverson, and Danny Green to Taipan Village for basketball interactions.

As a former NBA teammate of Chinese basketball superstar Yao Ming, McGrady enjoys high popularity among the Chinese fans. His arrival in Taipan has injected new momentum into the development of the village as a grassroots basketball hub.

On the court, McGrady watched several "Cun BA" players attempt shots in tribute to his NBA feat of 13 points in 35 seconds. He also engaged in a spirited shooting contest with players and provided on-site coaching in dribbling and shooting to several kids.

"You have to work extremely hard, also you have to watch the games of basketball, watch your favorite players, watch how they move on the basketball court," McGrady told the kids. "When you work on the court practicing, teach yourself play just like your favorite players do."

"As an NBA superstar, McGrady's visit will further enhance Taipan's influence both domestically and internationally," Cen Jianglong, the village chief said. "He will inspire more people to love basketball and sports, and help boost the integrated development of culture and sports in Taipan." Enditem