The Brooklyn Nets are reportedly closing in on Chinese basketball star Yongxi “Jacky” Cui, the 21-year-old forward who most recently played for the Guangzhou Long Lions in the Chinese Basketball Association.
The Brooklyn Nets are hoping to fill one of their two remaining spots with Cui, who could be debuting in the NBA this upcoming season. If the signing pushes through, he will be the first Chinese basketball player to be signed in the NBA since Zhou Qi and Wang Zhelin in 2016.
Cui first caught the eyes of NBA scouts after he graduated from the NBA Global Academy. He went back to China to play two seasons with the Long Lions in the CBA. Averaging 15.7 points on 46.1% shooting, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in his second CBA season, he enlisted in the 2024 NBA Draft, but went undrafted.
The Chinese standout played for the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Summer League, scoring six points in his debut in just eight minutes of play. He is highly regarded for his long-range shooting, as he sank 23 of his 25 three-point attempts during the offseason G League Elite Camp.
In an interview with HoopsHype, Chris Ebersole, NBA’s Head of International Basketball Development, spoke highly of the young Chinese prospect.
“He was really, truly like cracking jokes,” Ebersole said. “I just thought he was so impressive, willing to make mistakes and take risks. Everybody, from our staff to all his teammates, thinks so highly of him because of that.”
Aside from his shooting, Cui is also a defensive specimen. “My strongest skill is defense because, in my life, I can’t let everyone beat me. I go into a focused, mental state. So, I can’t let a player beat me every time and score on me. Defense is my job,” he said.
Brooklyn Nets also reportedly interested in Jimmy Butler
Aside from Yongxi Cui, it appears that the Brooklyn Nets are also eyeing Miami Heat’s star forward Jimmy Butler.
Butler currently has a $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 NBA season, but is also eligible for an extension. However, if he cannot come to an agreement with Miami this season, he might consider becoming a free agent next summer.
Miami isn’t in a hurry to finalize their deal with Butler, and while Brooklyn can’t contend like the Heat, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reported that the six-time NBA All-Star forward “likes the Nets.”
If the 34-year-old forward tests free agency, he could cash a considerable payday However, should he sign with the Brooklyn Nets after becoming a free agent, he would be in some tough break as the franchise let go of Mikal Bridges in July in their efforts to rebuild the team.
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