Although Sun Minghui may not have many advantages when facing some European and American teams, he is definitely capable of holding his own on the Asian stage. Unfortunately, during this summer's overseas training camp and the recent Asian Qualifiers, Sun Minghui failed to catch the eye of Guo Shiqiang. Frustrated but determined, he has continued to prove himself in this season's league matches. If China wants to avenge their loss against Japan in next month's Asian Qualifiers, Guo Shiqiang should really consider bringing Sun Minghui back into the national team.
In Guangsha's recent 114-75 victory over Guangzhou, Sun Minghui started for 34 minutes, shooting 5 out of 10 and scoring 15 points with 12 assists and 10 steals, achieving an impressive triple-double. His plus-minus rating of +43 was the highest on the team. It's worth noting that Guangsha only won by 39 points, yet Sun Minghui contributed to a net win of 43 points while on the court, which is quite remarkable.
Despite his weakness in outside shooting, Sun Minghui can be difficult to contain when he finds his rhythm. In a previous match where he led the team to defeat Guangdong, he made 8 out of 16 three-pointers, scoring a total of 31 points. Additionally, his ability to break through defenses and organize plays is something the current national team desperately needs. If Zhao Jiwei continues to struggle with injuries, Sun Minghui should not only be included in the national team but also considered as the main point guard by Guo Shiqiang.
Currently averaging 15.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 2.7 steals per game in 32.5 minutes, Sun Minghui has shooting percentages of 40.8%, 33.3%, and 82.3%. Given his abilities, he has the potential to average 20+ points and 10 assists this season. However, with the strong support of Brown, he can focus on defense and organization.
Among the top ten players in assists this season, only three are domestic players. Sun Minghui leads them with an average of 9.2 assists, followed closely by Xu Jie and Gao Shiyan. If these two are not hindered by injuries, they should continue to be part of the upcoming Asian Qualifiers roster. Among these three guards, Sun Minghui, with his more extensive national team experience, is actually better suited to play as the main point guard for the national team, rather than Xu Jie, who is limited by height, or Gao Shiyan, who struggles with shooting.
In today's basketball world, there are hardly any pure point guards left. An outstanding number one position player who only possesses passing skills will find it challenging to make a significant impact on the international stage. If Sun Minghui, a top-level combo guard who can both attack and pass, does not appear on the next national team roster, it would truly be a disappointment for Chinese basketball fans.