inish fifth in the men’s basketball (mass group) competition at the National Games.

Basketball has brought Yang many honors and many friends. His social circle revolves almost entirely around basketball. After over twenty years of sweating it out on the court, the young phenom has grown into an“ old veteran”, with opponents and teammates alike becoming old friends. His passion has turned into his career. After starting work, Yang became a coach at a well-known Wenzhou basketball institution, nurturing generation after generation of basketball-loving youth.

However, even the strongest cannot defy time. Muscles age, reactions slow, and the risk of injury only increases. The 37-year-old Yang Xilong now carries various old injuries. He says with a laugh,“ I’m one of the few players on Team Wenzhou who can hardly dunk anymore.”

Through Team Wenzhou’s high-intensity training and competitive games, his physical condition has been improving. During pre-game training, Yang, who hadn’t successfully dunked in a long time, finally managed to slam one home. He rewatched the video of that dunk again and again.

In an away game challenging Team Zhoushan, with his high-level all-around play on both ends, Yang earned the MVP title for that match. This MVP was something he had long awaited. Netizens commented that“ the old blade is still sharp.”

When asked how many more years he can play, Yang said,“ As long as I don’t suffer a major injury, as long as the team needs me, I’ll be ready to play!”