Guangzhou forward Xu Xin has emerged as one of the biggest winners this CBA season. Not only did he post impressive personal numbers and win the Most Improved Player award, but he was also named to the All-CBA Second Team. More importantly, Guangzhou head coach Mitchell used his connections to recommend Xu to several NBA and NCAA teams. Multiple clubs have already extended tryout invitations, with the San Antonio Spurs—home of Victor Wembanyama—reportedly among them. The Spurs’ coaching staff is said to be looking for a backup for Wembanyama and are intrigued by Xu’s height and potential.
For Xu, receiving an NBA tryout offer is the ultimate recognition of his talent. Sources say Xu’s camp is currently working on the necessary paperwork, which requires approval from the Chinese Basketball Association, Guangzhou Loong Lions, and Guangdong Southern Tigers. Since Xu has been called up to the national team training camp and is still registered with Guangdong, both the national team and Guangdong are expected to give the green light. Xu is likely to depart for the United States within the week. Fans hope he can seize this rare opportunity and make the leap to the NBA rather than return to the CBA next season.
In other news, Zhejiang Golden Bulls were swept by Shenzhen in the quarterfinals, ending their playoff run. In Game 2, veteran guard Wu Qian played less than five minutes and was benched for the remainder of the contest. His wife took to social media to express her dissatisfaction, posting a photo of Wu sitting dejectedly on the sidelines. She wrote, “I can understand fewer minutes when he’s playing poorly, but being completely benched is ridiculous.” She argued that Wu, a lifelong Zhejiang player and former CBA MVP, deserves more respect from the club.
However, Wu’s recent form has been far from his prime. In the playoffs, he averaged just 2.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game, shooting only 15.4% from the field and 18.2% from three-point range. Given those numbers, the coaching staff’s decision to reduce his minutes is understandable. While his wife’s intent to defend her husband is commendable, going public with such criticism may have been too aggressive.
The CBA league office has also issued fines to two teams. Shanxi was penalized after fans at their home game against Guangsha repeatedly chanted “black whistle” and directed abuse at referees, damaging the league’s image. The punishment includes revoking Shanxi’s eligibility for the “Best Venue” award for the 2025-2026 season and a fine of 50,000 yuan deducted from club operating costs. Additionally, under the league’s youth-friendly venue system, Shanxi was docked 3 points. According to statistics, Shanxi has been fined eight times this season, totaling 260,000 yuan—the most of any team.
Zhejiang was also fined after fans threw lighters and other objects onto the court during their home game against Shenzhen. Furthermore, club owner Jin Zijun entered the scorer’s table area during the game, disrupting the officials’ work. Zhejiang was stripped of eligibility for both “Best Venue” and “Best Security” awards for the season, fined 110,000 yuan, and docked 6 points under the youth-friendly venue system.
