2023 Jones Cup: Inner Growth from Losing Father to Becoming a Father - William Artino

At the end of 2021, the Chinese men's basketball team finally welcomed the long-awaited naturalized player, William Artino, also known as "Artino," as the successor to Davis 2023 Jones Cup: Inner Growth from Losing Father to Becoming a Father - William Artino

At the end of 2021, the Chinese men's basketball team finally welcomed the long-awaited naturalized player, William Artino, also known as "Artino," as the successor to Davis. Artino officially joined the team and began representing Taiwan in the first and second rounds of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asia Qualifiers and the 2022 Asia Cup. With Artino's addition, the team's strength has indeed been improved to a certain extent. However, due to the relatively short cooperation time and the differences in Artino's strengths compared to Davis, there seems to be room for improvement in Artino's integration into the team compared to Davis' first year with the team.

Continuing to read about this year's 2023 Jones Cup, it is Artino's first time playing in Taiwan wearing the Chinese national team jersey in front of the Taiwanese people. The Jones Cup holds a special meaning for many Taiwanese basketball fans, and performing well in front of them can deepen the connection with the fans. Additionally, the intense schedule of 9 days and 8 games, facing teams with different playing styles from around the world, also helps in the integration between Artino and the Chinese men's basketball team. Continuing to read about the 2023 Jones Cup, Artino, along with his teammates Hu Jiaxiong, Lin Zhijie, Abasi, and Aba, all have different connections to Taiwan. Apart from the undefeated University of California, Irvine, the overall strength of the other countries' lineups is not as high as in previous years. Therefore, the individual performances of the players may not hold much value, and the focus will be on observing the chemistry between the players. However, Artino has indeed performed well in this year's Jones Cup. Continuing to read, in this edition of the Jones Cup, Artino played in all 8 games, averaging 26.24 minutes per game and contributing an average of 21.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks. His plus-minus value reached an impressive 14.4, and this excellent performance earned him a spot in the All-Tournament Team.

Notably, Artino's field goal percentage for two-pointers reached an impressive 71.7%, indicating his dominance in the paint during this Jones Cup. Furthermore, he has improved in avoiding fouls, committing an average of only 1.9 fouls per game. However, there is still room for improvement in his free throw shooting, as he averaged 5.8 attempts per game but only achieved a 63% free throw percentage. Artino expressed that playing in the Jones Cup feels different from playing in professional leagues in the past, and he feels great to be able to wear the Chinese national team jersey and play in front of Taiwanese fans.

In addition, the team's chemistry has improved compared to previous years. This year is Artino's first time training with the national team, and if Yi Jianjun can successfully return to the team, Artino believes that their team's strength will be even more complete.

Recently becoming a father, Artino mentioned that this change in his life has given him a different perspective: "This year, I became a father, but at the same time, I lost my own father. My father loved watching me play basketball, and I know he is now watching me from another world. I want my child to grow up in Taiwan and experience its culture. I hope that one day, he can serve the national team just like me."

This year, the Chinese national team has a new coach, Coach Sam Mortensen, replacing Coach Parker, who had been coaching for many years. Regarding the adaptation to the coaching systems of the two coaches, Artino said, "The systems of the two coaches are indeed slightly different, but I think both of them are great coaches. My job is to fulfill any tasks given by the coach. The most important job for me is to protect the paint and score for the Chinese national team as much as possible." From losing his father to becoming a father, this significant transformation in life has given Artino a different understanding of basketball. After settling down in Taiwan, his growing ambition and emotional investment in the game are qualities that cannot be taken away. Whether he can channel these qualities in the right direction and bring positive contributions to the team will test Artino's wisdom as he enters this new stage of life.