On January 5th, there are three pieces of news regarding the CBA to share with you. First, according to the official CBA website, Liaoning Men's Basketball has successfully registered their big foreign aid, Justin Patton, who is expected to play in the upcoming match against Guangsha. However, Guangsha's new foreign aid, Boban, is not listed in the registration materials, indicating that his debut will be delayed.
This season, Liaoning has encountered difficulties in recruiting big foreign aids. They initially secured Aqur, but his soft playing style did not suit the intense physicality of the CBA, resulting in his release during the first stage.
Liaoning had considered re-signing Morand and reached a preliminary agreement, only for Guangdong to offer a higher contract, leaving Liaoning's management in a difficult position. In the second stage, they hastily signed Ture, but this foreign aid's level was not up to par, failing to alleviate the pressure on Han Dejun.
Now, fans have high hopes for Patton, hoping he won't disappoint and get replaced mid-season. Patton, 27 years old, stands at 211cm tall and weighs 109kg, playing as a center. He was selected 16th overall in the first round of the 2017 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Throughout his NBA career, he played for the Timberwolves, 76ers, Thunder, and Rockets.
During the 2023-2024 season, Patton had a brief stint with Shanxi Men's Basketball. Prior to coming to China, he played in the Greek league.
The second piece of news involves media reports stating that Zhu Xu Hang, the power forward for Xinjiang Team, has passed his physical test, securing his eligibility to return to the court.
Zhu Xu Hang suffered a serious injury at the beginning of 2024 and has been recuperating since. His return strengthens Xinjiang Team significantly, adding a formidable player to the fourth position, making Liu Wei's tactical arrangements more flexible.
Zhu Xu Hang is a seasoned veteran in the CBA, having experienced ups and downs early in his career. Since joining Zhejiang Team in 2018, his performance steadily improved, becoming almost the second-in-command behind Wu Qian. Known for his tough style and active defense, he is also a skilled shooting power forward, aligning with current basketball trends.
In 2022, Zhu Xu Hang, whose contract expired, was recruited by Xinjiang Team due to his outstanding performance and was even called up to the national team by coach Joerger, though he didn't quite live up to his training standards.
With Zhu Xu Hang's return, Xinjiang Team's frontcourt strength is undoubtedly enhanced, easing the burden on Abudushalamu.
The third piece of news concerns Xinjiang Men's Basketball again, as the CBA company has issued a written warning to Xinjiang Guanghui Club and the Urumqi division.
The warning letter points out that during the 25th round of the CBA regular season between Xinjiang and Shandong, some uncivilized incidents occurred within the Xinjiang club and the division: "During the game, Xinjiang Yili Team's coach Liu Wei made improper remarks about an opposing player and made critical comments at the post-game press conference; Player No. 77, Quentin Peterson, made inappropriate comments about the game through personal social media after the match. Additionally, there were instances of spectators insulting the on-site referees during the game."
It must be said that the CBA company has shown leniency towards Xinjiang Team. In similar situations, other teams' head coaches and players have faced fines for publicly making improper remarks, whereas Xinjiang Team only received a warning, which is relatively lenient.
Earlier in 2023, due to the issue of Zhou Qi's future with the team, the basketball association penalized Xinjiang Team, leading them to declare their intention to withdraw from the CBA, causing a significant stir. Ultimately, both sides compromised to reach a satisfactory resolution, yet it also highlights the special status of Xinjiang Men's Basketball.