It's really unexpected that the Shanghai team, which has been rising and is poised to challenge for the finals, has started scouting for quality small foreign players for next season with 13 rounds of regular season games yet to be played. After defeating Sichuan away, according to insiders, the Shanghai men's basketball team made contact with Sichuan's foreign player Samna during their trip to Sichuan, discussing the possibility of signing next season. If they successfully partner with this season's scoring champion, it's quite possible that the Shanghai team could make it to the finals next season, allowing the current 31-year-old Wang Zhelin to retire with a championship ring.
Although the Shanghai team faced a foreign player crisis in the first stage of the 24-25 season, especially with a record of 1 win and 9 losses, which led to the resignation of head coach Liu Peng, the new season's Shanghai team can be said to have one of the best-performing young players. Under the condition of four quarters and seven foreign player uses in the league, most teams rarely allow young players playing time in pursuit of overall results. Most rely on veterans, but due to foreign player and injury issues, young players in the new season have received a lot of playing time and gradually become core rotations in the team, especially in the second stage after coach Lu Wei took office, players like Li Hongquan, Li Tianrong, Liu Zhengqing, Dai Hao, and even Xie Liyongwei and Ma Diancheng can become main rotation players. Although the current Shanghai team's overall performance is not particularly outstanding, ranking only 12th in the league, they achieved this ranking having played two fewer games. Even so, they have two more wins than Tongxi, who played 33 games.
Since introducing Wang Zhelin three seasons ago, the Shanghai team's goal has been very clear: to challenge for the championship. Unfortunately, due to the "match-fixing" scandal, not only did head coach Li Chunjiang leave the Shanghai team, but the team that could have challenged for the top four that season also had their qualification revoked. Although the Shanghai team did not show a significant decline last season, they only managed to secure sixth place in the playoffs, clearly showing a significant gap from the championship. During the offseason of the new season, in order to challenge for the championship again, the Shanghai team reached an agreement in advance with small foreign players Blackney from Tongxi and Walters from Guangdong. However, unexpectedly, Blackney ultimately let the Shanghai team down, leading to consecutive losses in the first stage of the new season. The other small foreign player, Walters, also failed to meet the expectations of the Shanghai team, forcing them to recall Bradso from last season and sign Hawkins and Lofton.
The unexpected gain was that the big foreign player Lofton delivered incredible results, leading the Shanghai team to a 16-game winning streak in the second stage and helping the bottom-ranked Shanghai team return to the playoff ranks. Despite Bradso's 35 years of age still having some fighting power, and Lofton's ability to consistently deliver 30+ points, unfortunately, Bradso's inconsistent performance due to injuries and age makes it difficult for the Shanghai team's foreign player configuration to challenge for the championship under the new season's seven foreign player uses. Especially Hawkins and Wilson, whose overall performance can only be described as average, can handle weaker opponents well, but when facing strong teams, their ability to score in critical moments is limited. This is the main reason why the Shanghai team urgently needs to find another foreign player. Of course, for the Shanghai team, the hole dug at the beginning of this season is too big, and even if they catch up later, it will be difficult to stand out in the playoffs, as most teams' foreign players are already well-coordinated. If the Shanghai team changes foreign players in the third stage, it won't be realistic to expect the team to quickly re-enter the top four.
Therefore, preparing early and making preparations for next season in advance, especially in terms of foreign player configurations, maintaining Lofton's priority renewal rights in advance, Bradso, who originally planned to retire this season, will definitely not continue next season. Moreover, given Bradso's abilities, even if he continues to serve the Shanghai team next season, he can only be used as the third or fourth foreign player. Therefore, the small foreign player is the top priority for the Shanghai team. It's worth noting that before contacting Samna, the Shanghai men's basketball team had communicated with the Sichuan men's basketball team, intending to obtain Samna's priority renewal period for the new season. The intention of the Shanghai men's basketball team is very clear: to use money to attract people. Samna is a small foreign player with strong scoring ability, averaging 36.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game, making him the scoring champion this season. More importantly, Samna is only 29 years old and 193cm tall, giving him advantages in both height and age over the 185cm Bradso. If the Shanghai men's basketball team can sign Samna next season, the problem with the small foreign player will be completely solved.
With big foreign player Lofton and small foreign player Samna, if the Shanghai team can find a similar forward foreign player like Bacon during the offseason and add another substitute small foreign player, the overall strength of the Shanghai team next season will truly improve by several levels. This season's Shanghai team has basically established a fixed combat model for inside and outside line cores, with Wang Zhelin, Li Hongquan, and Li Tianrong, Liu Zheng's defense, Liu Zhengqing and Dai Hao's enthusiasm, Xie Liyongwei, Ma Diancheng, plus the recovered Liu Lijia, the Shanghai team not only stirs up a youth storm but also becomes a dark horse team that rises to win the championship.
This would not be in vain for Wang Zhelin, who went through great trouble to join the Shanghai team. The key is that as an excellent inside player in the league, being able to realize the dream of winning a championship before retirement is truly the biggest winner in life.