The era of veterans is no longer there, and although the saying "if there is an old family, there is a treasure" is often quoted to describe veteran players, in today's CBA league, this view seems to be undergoing a subtle shift. The team that once prided itself on veteran players such as Su Wei, Zhang Dayu, Jia Cheng, Sun Tonglin and Fang Shuo is now cleaning up veterans on a large scale in the summer transfer market. The Qingdao team sent all the veteran players away, and the Shanghai team also cut the list of veterans, including former national players such as Liu Zhixuan and Zhou Peng, and also left their old clubs. Against the backdrop of a sluggish economy, clubs seem less willing to pay high salaries to veterans and more inclined to cede opportunities to young, promising players.
However, there are also cases where veteran players choose to retire as a last resort. Guangzhou's center Zheng Zhun averaged 11.3 points per game in the playoffs, shooting 58 percent from three-point range, but chose to retire at the age of 30. The same is true of Qingdao's Zhao Tailong, who averaged 10 points per game and shot 49.6 percent from three-point range last season, but chose to retire this summer. This may reflect the phenomenon that while veteran players remain excellent in form and performance, they may be more inclined to say goodbye to the game at the peak in the face of increasing league competition and the rise of a new generation of players.
Looking back on Zhang Zhaoxu's career, he was originally a member of the Shandong youth team, but Yao Ming's influence gradually became apparent on his way forward. Zhang Zhaoxu played for the Shandong youth team for three years before moving to the University of California, Berkeley to play in the NCAA league. Although his performance in the NCAA was mediocre, it was this experience in the United States that made his value rise significantly. It is worth noting that Yao Ming, who had become the owner of the Shanghai Sharks at this time, personally lobbied Zhang Zhaoxu to join the Shanghai team and gave him a generous contract and other treatment. However, in the performance of the Shanghai team and the performance of the national team, Zhang Zhaoxu failed to meet expectations, which became Yao Ming's original misjudgment.
Zhang Zhaoxu has had a career spanning 12 seasons, the first 11 of which he played for Shanghai. However, last summer, Shanghai brought in Wang Zhelin, and for Zhang Zhaoxu, they were only willing to offer a C contract and make him a substitute. Faced with such a situation, Zhang Zhaoxu insisted on a top salary and eventually parted ways with the Shanghai team. The Tianjin team moved quickly
moved, reached a 1-year D contract with Zhang Zhaoxu, that is, a maximum salary contract, so that he continued to stay in the CBA arena. Despite a relatively mediocre performance this past season, averaging just 5 points and 4 rebounds per game, and even more bleak in the playoffs, averaging just 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds per game, Tianjin's move shows their special need for Zhang. The scarcity of the CBA interior and his unique role on the court make him a member of the team that he is reluctant to give up.
In the past years, Zhang Zhaoxu was once a shining star in Chinese basketball. Looking back at the 2009 Universiade, his outstanding performance against international powerhouses touted him as the next Yao Ming. However, the twists and turns of his career, as well as the vicissitudes of events on and off the pitch, have made him a controversial presence. He came from the Shandong youth team and was recruited by Yao Ming to the Shanghai team because of his experience in the United States, but he failed to reach the desired height. He was a member of the national team, but he fell into the vortex of public opinion in the group fight. At different stages of his career, he has been a key development target and has also lost qualification for the national team due to poor performance.
Overall, the status of veteran players is gradually declining in the CBA league. The glory of the past is no longer a reality, and clubs focus more on the development and development of young players, while veteran players make their own choices at different stages of their careers. As a vivid example, Zhang Zhaoxu shows the twists and turns of his career, and also reflects the relationship between demand and value in professional sports. Whether it's the sweaty court or the choice after leaving the court, all of this is interpreting a wonderful chapter in basketball's life.