On March 23, 2024, the inauguration ceremony of the China Basketball Hall of Fame was held at Tsinghua University. Our school alumnus, Professor Li Zhenzhong, former head of the Department of Physical Education at Shanghai Normal University, entered the hall as a Pioneer of Chinese Basketball.
Li Zhenzhong, born on April 11, 1916, held the glory of Chinese basketball with a towering figure of 1.88 meters, representing the country in international competitions such as the Far East Games and the Olympics. In 1948, he was selected for the Shanghai basketball team and led the team as the captain of the Chinese basketball team to compete in the 14th London Olympics. He excelled in long-range shooting, especially his iconic one-handed shot.
After retiring, he trained over 500 physical education teachers. In 1977, he served as the director and professor of the Department of Physical Education at Shanghai Normal University. In 1979, he was appointed as the vice chairman of the Chinese Handball Association and also served as a master's supervisor for the School of Physical Education at Shanghai Normal University. He promoted the development of the first general basketball textbook for sports colleges in New China and participated in the stipulation of the Sports Law of the People's Republic of China. In his late years, he donated funds to establish the Li Zhenzhong Sports Education Fund at Shanghai Normal University,
The Chinese Basketball Hall of Fame has entered its third session, with a total of 42 individuals and 3 groups selected. After three stages of nomination, recommendation, and final review, this year's China Basketball Hall of Fame has produced four Outstanding Athletes, one Outstanding Coach, one Outstanding Referee, and three Pioneers of Chinese Basketball.
