On July 4, Beijing time, CBA Liaoning player Zhang Zhenlin will definitely represent the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Summer League, and Zhang Zhenlin's name is prominently listed on the official list. Zhang Zhenlin, 23, is one of the best young players in the Chinese basketball world, winning the best star of the CBA season and the CBA dunk king, has been selected as a CBA All-Star, and has reached the Finals for two consecutive years in the past two seasons, during which he won a CBA championship.
In the 2021-22 CBA League, Zhang Zhenlin played 42 games for Liaoning, averaging 33.7 minutes per game, scoring 14 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.6 steals. In the 2021-22 CBA Playoff Finals, Liaoning swept Guangsha 4-0 on aggregate to win the championship.
Zhang Zhenlin's NBA Summer League debut was at 10:00 on July 9, when the Phoenix Suns will play against the Los Angeles Lakers. The NBA Summer League will feature a number of Chinese players, with Shanghai defender Guo Haowen playing for the Lone Ranger and Beijing's 19-year-old Zeng Fanbo joining the Pacers. The last player to play in the NBA Summer League in Chinese basketball was Zhou Qi, Ding Yanyuhang and Abdul Salam.
Zhang Zhenlin has experience in American campus basketball in the past, and represented Tulane University in the NCAA First Division during college, so Zhang Zhenlin has a deep understanding of American basketball culture and has a certain advantage in impacting the NBA. After the end of the 21-22 season, Zhang Zhenlin quickly threw himself into personal training, and rushed to the United States for personal training after attending the wedding of teammate Zhao Jiwei, preparing to impact the NBA. It is worth noting that in order to impact the NBA, Zhang Zhenlin missed the opportunity to represent the Chinese men's basketball team in international competitions this summer.
Among these new generation players who tried to impact the NBA, Zhang Zhenlin's personal comprehensive combat strength was the strongest and most experienced, and he had already played in the CBA Finals twice at the age of 23, and even averaged 19 points and 7 rebounds per game on the first Finals trip. For Zhang Zhenlin, even if he signs an NBA two-way contract, he will choose to stay and chase his dreams.
Chinese men's basketball history through the NBA Summer League and the NBA official contract of the player only Wang Zhizhi, in 2017 Ding Yanyuhang had won the lone man's two-way contract offer, but finally did not choose to sign, in 2018 Ding Yanyuhang originally had the opportunity to sign a basic salary contract, but due to injury helplessly missed. This means that every Chinese player wants to enter the NBA through the NBA Summer League as a springboard is difficult, it is not easy, for this reason Zhang Zhenlin, Zeng Fanbo and other people dare to try is worthy of affirmation, everyone who chases their dreams is worth applause, enterprising, self-motivated players will not be too bad after all!
(Lin Xiaoxiang)