Cunba - by Wen Cao (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Discover the Wildest Basketball League on Earth. It's not in a stadium. It's in a remote mountain village. The prize is a cow. And the crowd is louder than the NBA Finals. Welcome to "CunBA" (Village Basketball Association)--the viral grassroots phenomenon that has taken the sports world by storm. Deep in the lush mountains of Guizhou, China, basketball is more than a game; it is a religion. There are no tickets, no corporate sponsors, and no million-dollar contracts. But when the whistle blows, over 30,000 villagers pack the stands, banging pots and pans, cheering for players who are farmers by day and legends by night. In CunBA: Hoops, Hope, and Heart of China's Mountain Courts, award-winning journalist Cao Wen takes you courtside to witness this electrifying subculture. Through immersive storytelling and vibrant photography, you will discover: The Purest Passion: Why basketball has become the heartbeat of rural China. The Stakes: A tournament where village pride (and a prize goat) is on the line. The People: Meet the "Grassroots Curries" and "Village Jordans" who play for the love of the game.

About the Author

Cao Wen is a journalist and author with a longstanding focus on culture, tourism, and sports. She has covered major international sporting events, including the Beijing Winter Olympics and the World Gymnastics Championships in Nanning. Her long-form reportage on CunBA, " Small Hoops, Big Era," was awarded the Second Prize at the 33rd China Journalism Awards. Cao is also the author of The Next Stop: A Guide to Studying Abroad and Endless Pursuit: Tang Weixing's Road to the Go World Championship.