Shanxi Men's Basketball Team has made significant efforts in introducing foreign players this season. After parting ways with their small forward foreign player, Lemont, they have shifted their focus to reinforcing their frontcourt. It is reported that foreign player Godwin is close to signing with Shanxi Men's Basketball Team and has already arrived in Taiyuan. If all goes well, he will participate in the game against Tianjin Pioneers on Wednesday of this week. Prior to signing Godwin, Shanxi Men's Basketball Team already had four foreign players: Goodwin, Diawara, Giles, and Faye. With Godwin joining the team, Shanxi Men's Basketball Team will have to make a choice between Giles and Faye, and Coach Pan Jiang will need to upgrade the frontline lineup once again.
Godwin is 25 years old, stands at 2.06 meters tall, and plays as a power forward/center. He was an undrafted player from the 2022 NBA draft and has previously played in leagues in France, Hungary, and Germany. Godwin started his career in the Hungarian league with Debrecen, averaging 6.3 points and 4.5 rebounds last season in the French league Bourg-en-Bresse, with a shooting percentage of 77.6% and a free throw percentage of 45.9%.
From a technical standpoint, Godwin is a blue-collar frontcourt player without playmaking abilities and lacks mid-to-long-range shooting capabilities. His free throw percentage has consistently been around 50%-60%. Godwin possesses explosive athleticism and frequently performs powerful dunks on the court. He is very proactive in chasing rebounds and has decent rim protection skills. He is also adept at setting screens. In a run-and-gun team like Shanxi Men's Basketball Team, Godwin has the potential to showcase his strengths and display his outstanding athletic ability. However, considering Shanxi Men's Basketball Team's current situation, Godwin's addition is unlikely to be a key player, and his performance is not expected to pose a threat to the status of Giles and Faye.
Godwin is just a blue-collar foreign player whose functionality does not match that of Giles and Faye. Shanxi Men's Basketball Team's move is likely aimed at building a reserve of foreign players to mitigate the impact of injuries and further diversify their tactical approach. Previously, Shanxi Men's Basketball Team canceled Giles' registration to make room for Lemont, but after Lemont was cut, Giles' registration was reinstated. The team will fully utilize the league's rules, and the same applies to Godwin; if his performance is unsatisfactory, he can be released at any time.
