BEIJING, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Liaoning's star player Guo Ailun graded himself 10 out of 100 points, and claimed that 90 percent of his potential remained untapped in the past Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) season.
The 26-year-old expressed his regret that defending champions Liaoning, which lost to Xinjiang 99-62 in Game 5 of their best-of-seven semifinal, did not make it to the CBA Finals.
"We could have done better in the final stage of this season because everyone, including me, fights hard," Guo told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview. "I thought that 90 percent of my potential has yet to be fully cultivated, and that's why I graded myself 10 out of 100 points."
The most popular CBA player among China's basketball fans, however, refused to wallow too much in self-pity.
"Every season left us with regrets. Although we took the championship in the previous season, there was still something to be improved upon," he said.
During the past regular season, Guo averaged 23.2 points, ranking second among Chinese domestic players in the CBA. With 5.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game, Guo came first and third respectively in those categories.
With the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup to be held in China, Guo said that representing the country to compete with the world's best teams is a golden opportunity for all Chinese players.
"If I am fortunate enough to be selected into the national team, I will go all out to succeed. It is essential to devote everything to the game. To be more specific, it is to combine the actual conditions on court with the message given by the coach and make the best contribution to the team," said Guo.
When asked whether he would try out for the NBA, Guo said that he watches NBA games to learn and find out his own weaknesses. However, he cautioned that he would not make a hasty decision to move if a good opportunity did not present itself.
