Facing the bottom-ranked Fujian men's basketball team, it should have been a good opportunity for Jiangsu men's basketball to win. However, Jiangsu failed to seize the opportunity and lost the game. Cui Xiaolong suffered a double blow as he was benched again. This marks the third consecutive game that Cui has been benched; in the previous match against Fujian, he did not play a single second, and he also watched from the sidelines against Beikong men's basketball. Cui Xiaolong has become a discarded piece, which came as a surprise to many, as he was once seen as the best player on this rebuilding team, tasked with leading the team to rise.
In the 2021 CBA draft, Cui Xiaolong was selected by Jiangsu men's basketball in the first round at the fourth pick. Although he came from the NBL league, Cui did not disappoint Jiangsu, scoring in double figures in his first four CBA regular-season games. Due to his outstanding performance, Cui挤进了江苏男篮主要轮换阵容 in his rookie season. What's even more remarkable is that Cui performed well against strong teams. In two games against the reigning champions Guangdong men's basketball team, Cui also scored in double figures.
Cui Xiaolong's sudden rise also earned him the attention of Jiangsu men's basketball, and his role increased further in his second season. He did not let the team down, scoring 20 points in the ninth regular-season game of that season, marking his first time scoring in double figures in the CBA. Scoring in double figures became commonplace for Cui, and he became an important offensive force for Jiangsu men's basketball, helping the team return to the playoffs after many years. In the playoff qualifying rounds, Cui continued to perform outstandingly, scoring in double figures in two games.
Due to his excellent performance in the league, Cui Xiaolong gained the favor of then Chinese men's basketball head coach Dejan Joković and was selected for the national team. There are not many players with national team experience in Jiangsu men's basketball, making Cui even more important.
At the end of the 2022-23 season, due to the tacit understanding incident, Jiangsu men's basketball decided to rebuild. Wu Guanxi moved to Xinjiang men's basketball, and the core guard Zhao Luchuan also chose to leave. Cui Xiaolong became the domestic core of Jiangsu men's basketball and the most impressive in terms of data. Cui was believed to be able to improve further and gradually lead Jiangsu men's basketball back to strength.
Last season, Cui's performance met external expectations. With a significant increase in tactical status, Cui's firepower skyrocketed. Against Shanghai men's basketball, Cui scored 24 points in just 23 minutes. Against Sichuan men's basketball, Cui scored 25 points in a single game. Battling Guangdong men's basketball, Cui scored 29 points. He could also use his scoring ability to create scoring opportunities for his teammates, with assists reaching six times in a single game not being uncommon.
Averaging 15.3 points and 4.5 assists per game, Cui Xiaolong's statistics for the 2023-24 season were quite impressive. During the offseason, Jiangsu men's basketball made almost no changes to their domestic lineup, and Cui was expected to continue to make breakthroughs this season. However, Cui's performance experienced a cliff-like decline. In the second regular-season game, Cui shot 3 for 12, scoring only 7 points. In the third game, Cui shot 3 for 12 again, adding free throws to score 8 points. In a game against Guangdong men's basketball, Cui shot 2 for 10, scoring only 5 points throughout the game.
Cui Xiaolong's poor performance has become the norm, causing dissatisfaction from head coach Yi Li. Cui's tactical status has plummeted, and his playing time has been significantly reduced, making it even harder for him to improve. Now, it has reached the point where Cui can't even get on the court. This situation is a lose-lose for both Cui Xiaolong and Yi Li. Cui gets criticized for playing poorly, and Yi risks being labeled as someone who doesn't know how to use people. In this case, both sides should make changes. Cui needs to train hard to strive for high-level performance in games. As for Yi Li, he should also give his top star another chance to achieve a win-win situation.