LookAtVietnam – Basketball has been played in Viet Nam for decades but has yet to develop to a professional level like football and volleyball.

Viet Nam, which ranks sixth among Southeast Asia countries, has not attracted sponsors to fund development of the sport.

The Viet Nam Basketball Federation allowed men’s and women’s teams to strengthen their squads by recruiting foreign players for the championships last year but overall playing standards as stagnant.

In the men’s section, Can Tho, HCM City, Soc Trang and Joton teams dominated after they recruited seven players from the Philippines, China and Mongolia.

Low wages

Viet Nam, which ranks sixth among Southeast Asia countries, has not attracted sponsors to fund development of the sport.

The northern province of Yen Bai team has ranked top at the women’s championships since 2005.

It pays the best players VND1 million (US$56) each a month - a fifth of what a volleyballer receives.

Yen Bai’s women’s coach Quach Thuy Binh said its players get VND500,000 to VND700,000 ($28-39).

“Our players get an allowance of VND24,000 ($1.3) for each day of training while youngsters get VND15,000 ($0.8) each.”

She said the allowance is enough to provide cooking but insufficient for good nutrition and the players have worn old jerseys for years.

The Olympic sport receives little support in poor provinces like Soc Trang, Yen Bai, Hau Giang and Quang Ninh.

National team members have not trained together for three years because the team has had few chances to compete internationally.

HCM City, Can Tho and Joton are the best payers with players each getting about $112.

Joton became a trailblazer to professional status by playing under the name of a paint producer and earlier this year attracted top players Phan Van Luyen and Trinh Nhan Duc with a record salary of VND6 million ($337) and VND4 million ($224), respectively.

Although they are the best paid basketballers, they receive less than volleyballers and footballers.

The best volleyballers can earn about VND10 million ($600) a month while footballers get twice the figure, plus any winning bonuses.

Basketball is the third sport to allow teams to sign two foreign players with one allowed on the court at any time.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News