In the long history of Chinese basketball, every time a player attacks the NBA, it will attract widespread attention and heated discussions. In 2024, Cui Yongxi, a young player of the Guangzhou Dragon and Lions team, embarked on a journey to chase the NBA dream with enthusiasm and firm belief, and told the world with practical actions that the distance between Chinese players and the world's highest basketball hall may not be as far as imagined.
In April, when Choi Yong-hee announced through his agency that he would participate in the 2024 NBA Draft, the domestic basketball community was excited. The 21-year-old 1.99-meter-tall small forward is known as a rising star in Chinese basketball, and his decision is not only a big step in his career, but also a vivid interpretation of the courage of the young generation of Chinese basketball to pursue their dreams.
Although Choi Yong-hee's name was not seen in the official G-League training camp joint tryout list released by the NBA on May 13, this undoubtedly added a bit of uncertainty to his draft path. However, in the face of doubts from the outside world and the lack of his own conditions, Choi Yong-hee did not choose to back down, but decided to continue to stick to his draft journey. The decision was met with widespread praise from fans, who praised his indomitable spirit.
Realizing his shortcomings in some aspects, Choi Young-hee decided to return to Orlando for special training, which was once a "battlefield" for him to improve his skills and hone his will. Here, he will conduct more systematic and targeted training for the intensity and demands of the NBA-level game, including improving individual skills, enhancing physical fitness, and adapting to higher-intensity defense and confrontation.
In order to make up for the regret of not being selected for the joint tryout, Choi Yong-hee plans to participate in a separate tryout for an NBA team, which is a valuable opportunity to directly show his strength and potential. Through these tryouts, he can directly meet the coaching staff and management of NBA teams, show his characteristics and improvements, and strive to gain the recognition and favor of the team.
At the same time, Choi Yong-hee also set his sights on the NBA Summer League. Summer League is a stage for young and fringe players to prove themselves, and many NBA stars have started their way up to glory. If he can get an invitation to the summer league, Cui Yongxi will have the opportunity to test the results of his training in actual battles and show the world the quality of Chinese players.
Cui Yongxi's draft process is not only the pursuit of his personal basketball dream, but also a microcosm of Chinese basketball moving towards the world's top level. It tells us that even if the road is full of unknowns and challenges, as long as we have the courage to try and keep working hard, the distance between dreams and reality will no longer be so far. As the classic saying on the basketball court goes, "You never know what's going to happen next." For Choi Yong-hee, as long as he maintains this courage and persistence, his basketball story has just begun.
Cui Yongxi's draft journey is not only the pursuit of personal glory, but also injects new vitality and hope into Chinese basketball. In this process, we have seen the self-confidence and determination of the younger generation of players, and also seen the firm steps of Chinese basketball to move towards an international high-level league. Regardless of the final outcome, Cui Yongxi's courageous attempt has written a memorable stroke for the future of Chinese basketball.