Recently, Xinjiang player Zhu Xuhang has returned to Urumqi after a full year of recuperation due to injury. While the team is still on an away game campaign, it is expected that they will return home after finishing their away game against Shanxi this Sunday. At that time, Zhu Xuhang will officially rejoin the team and begin training with them.
This season, after loaning out Lutubula, Wu Guanxi also missed several games due to injury, leaving only Li Yanzhe at the center position. The power forward position has been struggling with inconsistent performance from A Bu Du, while Ai Zimaiti is strong in attack but weak in defense. This has put Liu Wei in a difficult position when it comes to player selection, especially in terms of rebounding. Although Xinjiang currently leads the league in total rebounds, they have recently lost consecutive rebounding battles against Liaoning, Beijing, and Shandong, with an average loss of nearly 10 offensive rebounds per game. This means that opponents have had ten more shooting opportunities per game than Xinjiang.
Zhu Xuhang's characteristics align perfectly with Xinjiang's current weaknesses. He is known for his tough defense and excellent rebounding ability. At the power forward position, he also possesses a precise three-point shot, which directly addresses Liu Wei's dilemma of choosing between A Bu Du without shooting and Ai Zimaiti without defense. It can be said that Zhu Xuhang's skills are exactly what Xinjiang lacks the most.
Of course, it is unrealistic to expect a player who has been out for a year due to injury to make a significant impact upon returning. At 31 years old, Zhu Xuhang is neither too young nor too old, and he will definitely need time to adjust to the intensity of the game. However, fans don't need to worry too much. In previously released videos of Zhu Xuhang's rehabilitation training, he has already started intensive shooting and light contact training. Zhu Xuhang is someone who is particularly hard on himself and has high self-expectations, so we should also have confidence in his recovery.
Currently, Zhu Xuhang is just about to rejoin the team. He will continue to train with the team and participate in physical testing. Previously, Liu Wei mentioned that Zhu Xuhang might appear in the second stage of the club cup, but looking at the situation now, if the physical test goes smoothly, there's a chance we could see Zhu Xuhang back in action before the Spring Festival.