I’m an American college student who is coming to Taiwan to teach english for a year this summer. I am an avid basketball player - I vist a gym to play 4 to 5 times a week. I have a few questions for anyone who is a BBall junkie like myself and is willing to share there experiences.
How hard has it been to find pick-up games?
Are there any good indoor gyms to play at? Playing indoors is so much more fun in my opinion.
Is it possible to find an adult recreational league to play in?
How popular is playing basketball in Taiwan?
If you want to share any other experiences, that would be great as well. Thanks.
Walk to any large flat tarmac on the island and hundreds of sweaty lads will dribble all over you - it is a plague I tell you!!! I can’t escape, they play ALL NIGHT EVERY NIGHT near my apartment…aaaaaarrrrggggghhhhhh
lots of different pick-up games played here. be careful of the women in bars and hairdressers especially, or at the laundromat.
basketball is about number 19 on the list of popular sports here.
shopping, tea drinking, eating, mouth breathing, karaoke, table tennis, badminton, baseball, scooter crashing, double parking, walking slowly, throwing shoes in parliament, lunchbox discarding, and pointless protesting are all much more practised than basketball is.
there is lots of adult recreation available here. isn’t that why most western guys come to taiwan? but see point 1.
i hope you’re not one of those tall people. you will find it difficult to catch a train or walk around the streets without smacking your head into signs and poles. and russians, there’s a few of them.
and while you’re actually playing you’ll notice that shooting is much easier. they have shorter baskets here: only 7 feet above ground.
Lol. Thanks for the information urodacus. But just for clarification, by “pick-up games,” I meant games of pick-up basketball and by “adult recreational league,” I meant an adult basketball league. But I will be sure to steer clear of the hairdressers and people at the laundromat.
actually you’ll find it’s very basketball friendly here, especially among 15-25s. lots of courts near colleges, etc. even some indoors, which is very handy in summer. (you’ll understand why when you get here).
older folk prefer baseball or badminton. if you’re tall you may even get picked all the time! but learn a few chinese phrases for basketball and you’ll make more friends.
yesterday i was being stupid. i hope you picked that up…
Baseball has long been the number one game in Taiwan, but I see Basketball taking that spot any day now if not already. Where in Taiwan are you going? I live in a small town and can find a pick up game any time so the cities will not be a problem. I have also found the street ball here less rough than I’m used to. It’s very interesting to watch the sport develop here. In the next few years I’'m sure they will have their first NBA poster boy.
I have posted elsewhere about the problem of Taiwanese guys who carefully cultivate long luxurious fingernails, and those who customize their fingernails into pointed dagger shapes – not very nice when they are on defense…or offense.
Unfortunately for me, since I really like b-ballin, the courts at my school are covered with some strange waterproof, slippery, bouncing rubber floor. After a sprinkle of rain, it is even more dangerous. Even on dry days, we are careful not to drive to the hoop nor run after the ball too quickly lest the slight grip our shoes have on the floor give up. I just hope one day someone will get whiplash, broken ankle, lumps to the noggen or whatever that is serious to make them consider suing the school for putting down that weird material that makes it dangerous to play.
During competitions, I watched bare-footed guys with speed and agility with amazement. I thought to myself. If he is out there playing without shoes in a serious competition – maybe there is some advantage. So I tried it. Hmmm my feet are as slippery as basketball shoes. I don’t get it. Maybe that guy just needed to save money.
Some people play in sandals too. Should there be special rules when playing with such koo-koo heads? Sandals fly off during slam dunk = basket not counted. Creak creek craaack crunch sounds while defending sandal wearing ball jockey = unintentional foul – start play again from 3-point line.
Hi! If you’re interested in playing in a adult recreational league (indoors) in Taipei, you can try to join us. We’ve been playing in Someboday Basketball League (somebodybl.com.tw) for two years, and most of the players in our team are from US/Canada. we have pick-up games/practices in National Taiwan Univ. (TaiDa) almost every weekend. Please PM me if you’re interested.