Anchorage, AK — Two former Duke basketball stars, China’s most famous basketball player and the Boston Celtics head coach are expected to meet with the Duke basketball team in China and attend some combination of the team’s games.
NBA forward and Duke legend Grant Hill is expected at the Blue Devils’ games in Kunshan and Shanghai this week, men's basketball Sports Information Director Matt Plizga said. Kyrie Irving, who was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the top pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, will attend the team's game in Beijing. Both will arrive in China separately from the team.
Yao Ming, an eight-time NBA All-Star who retired in July, will attend the Friendship Games' rubber match in Beijing. He is expected to address the crowd at half time and meet with the team, said Jon Jackson, associate director of athletics for media and public affairs.
Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers will meet the team in China and attend all four games, according to his son, freshman Austin Rivers.
A number of news outlets originally reported that former Duke players Shane Battier and
Jay Williams would join the team for at least part of the trip, but this is no longer be the case. Plizga said Monday evening that neither player is expected to meet up with the team, though Jay Williams was expected to travel aboard the charter and is listed on the attendee list given to passengers on the plane.
The Blue Devils’ first game is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time—7 a.m. EST—Wednesday at Kunshan Stadium. The stadium covers nearly 400,000 square meters and draws architecturally from the city’s flower, the “rare flower,” according to the Duke International Tour booklet distributed to passengers traveling with the team.
The group will board buses for the approximately 50-mile trip from Kunshan to Shanghai Thursday morning and play a second contest at 8 p.m. at the Mercedes Benz Arena.
The final game in China is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Aug. 22 at Beijing's MasterCard Center, home of the 2008 Olympic basketball tournament.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.