The Chinese Basketball Association North Division club, Jilin Northeast Tigers, announced on Saturday that they have hired the services of the former Chinese national men's team head coach, Bob Donewald Jr., as their new bench boss.

The 46-year-old American coach was greeted by a group of fans, who came together at the Changchun airport carrying red roses and streamers. The fans also brought along with them slogan which read, "Welcome to Jilin, Laodeng!" Laodeng is the nickname of Donewald in Chinese, meaning old Donewald.

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"I am very excited to be here," the veteran bench tactician told fans. "You know last year I thought it was difficult for Jilin, we will improve it. But expectations are too early to talk about," Donewald added.

Donewald is coming fresh from a coaching stint from the National Basketball Association's Developmental League. He was also the head coach of the Iowa Energy from 2014 to 2016 and has compiled a record of 52 wins and 48 losses, earning a regular season win percentage of .520 with the minor league basketball squad.

He has also served as an assistant coach with the New Orleans Hornets and the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2002 to 2004 in the NBA.

In 2009, Donewald went to China, where he coached the team of Shanghai Sharks and also became a part of the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in 2011. He was also chosen to be the Chinese men's national team's head coach from 2010 to 2012.

Under his watch, the national squad won two Asian titles; the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and 2011 Wuhan FIBA Asian Men's Basketball Championships. Donewald left China after the 2012 Summer Olympic Games held in London, United Kingdom.

Last season, Jilin finished 17th in the 20-team league. The Northeast Tigers registered a 10-28 win-loss record and the Changchun-based basketball club and hopes to improve in the upcoming CBA season with Donewald on board.

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