As the successor to "Yi Jianlian," Xu Xin was highly anticipated by Guangdong fans even before he officially joined the first team. Last season, after Yi Jianlian's retirement and Zhou Qi's subsequent joining, Xu Xin did not receive many opportunities. This season, after waiting for Zhou Qi to join Beijing in the north, the newly arrived Wang Shaojie is a power forward, yet Xu Xin still did not receive much attention, causing many Guangdong fans to sympathize with him.
This season, Xu Xin's playing time has been fragmented, especially after Bazley's recent return. With all three foreign players being centers, Xu Xin received even fewer opportunities. However, during the "Guangdong Derby" against Shenzhen, Du Feng chose to give Xu Xin a chance, and he finally seized this opportunity to play his best game of the season.
Even after accidentally getting his chin injured during a collision, Xu Xin, who had blood on the court, remained on the court to help the team. In 18 minutes off the bench, he made 7 out of 6 shots, scoring 12 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 blocks, with a +18 plus-minus value, the highest on the team.
For Du Feng, under the current situation where Guangdong's domestic frontcourt is somewhat tight, it is indeed necessary to provide more trial-and-error space for young players. Compared to Zhang Mingchi and Zhang Hao, who are indeed not up to the task, it should be noted that Xu Xin attracted the attention of some NBA scouts during his training in the United States last summer, indicating that his potential is quite significant.
Currently, in the domestic frontcourt position, Er Fei is too old, and his height is also a weak point. Wang Shaojie is only on loan, and during set-piece battles, his power forward height and center-style play make it difficult for him to have much impact. Although Xu Xin is inexperienced, if Du Feng does not give him the opportunity to make mistakes, how can he accumulate experience and grow quickly?
This season, Xu Xin played 18 games for Guangdong, averaging 3.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 9.2 minutes per game. Although his regular statistics are mediocre, if converted to per 36 minutes, he can average 15.5 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 4.4 blocks. His average rebounds per 36 minutes are second only to the two big foreigners Bazley and Morand, while his average blocks are far ahead of the second-placed Bazley (Bazley averages 2.8 blocks per 36 minutes).
After Yi Jianlian's retirement and Zhou Qi's move to Beijing, the domestic frontcourt position has indeed become a weak link for Guangdong. Foreign players can only provide temporary relief. In a few years, when Morand gets older, Guangdong will have to look for new big men again, and Er Fei is also nearing retirement. Instead of this, Du Feng should indeed provide more exercise space for Xu Xin, allowing him to carry the flag for the team's restricted area.