12 college players were selected by the CBA team, and Wang Lanxi of Tsinghua University became the No. 1 pick in the draft

When the CBA draft is no longer a walkthrough

　　Our reporter Zhu Yanan, "Workers Daily" (July 27, 2022, 08 edition)

　　"Nanjing Tongxi Club has made a choice." As the draft card was handed over to the center of the venue, the curtain of the 2022 CBA (China Men's Basketball Professional League) draft conference slowly opened...

　　On July 24, guard Wang Lanxi from Tsinghua University was selected by the Nanjing Tongxi team as the first overall pick and became the number one pick in this year's CBA draft.

He is the 8th No. 1 pick in CBA history and the 100th player to land in the CBA through the draft.

　　At the same time, of the 20 players selected this year, a total of 12 are from the CUBA (China University Basketball League).

According to statistics, over the past 8 years in the CBA draft, a total of 57 CUBA players have been selected and entered the professional basketball arena.

　　Compared with the more mature rising channels of foreign basketball leagues, the CBA draft has just gone through 8 years.

According to regulations, the players in the draft pool are recommended by CBA, NBL (China Men's Basketball League) clubs, recommended by provincial sports bureaus, as well as CUBA student players and some players who have signed up as individuals.

　　From only one person being selected in the first session to 30 people being selected by various clubs in 2021, the CBA draft brings more possibilities to players with professional basketball dreams.

　　Compared with the previous CBA draft clubs, they tend to choose players trained in the youth training system and players from NBL clubs. In recent years, the number of college players participating and being selected has greatly increased.

Many clubs even sent scouts to the stands of CUBA early to observe the "student stars" who were killing all sides in the college league.

　　Among the student players who have entered the CBA stage through the draft, there are many examples who have now made a name for themselves in the professional arena.

Guo Kai, who graduated from Peking University, was selected by the current Guangzhou team as the number one pick in the second CBA draft held in 2016.

In 2021, the Guangzhou team gave Guo Kai, who averaged 10.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, the first max contract among the draft players.

　　Of course, there are Wang Shaojie, Zhu Mingzhen and Zhang Ning, who are known as the "Three Heroes of Peking University", Yuan Tangwen and Li Yiyang from Xiamen University, and Qi Lin and Zheng Qilong from Tsinghua University. More and more student players can pass the CUBA experience And the CBA draft, knocking on the door of the professional league.

　　Returning to this year's draft stage, Wang Lanxi, who was born in 1998, has been involved in basketball since the age of 10, serving as a guard on the court.

In the 2014 Shandong Provincial Games, Wang Lanxi and his teammates helped the Weifang team win the basketball group B championship.

Among his teammates at the time were Chen Peidong and Xie Lishi, who are now in the CBA.

　　In the second year of high school, he was named "the strongest high school student in the country" and received an olive branch from Tsinghua University in advance.

During the CUBA National Championship this season, Wang Lanxi averaged 9.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.4 steals per game, leading the Tsinghua Men's Basketball Team to win the North Championship.

　　Although many players have successfully embarked on the career path from the college arena, there are still voices questioning the career path of student players.

"It's 24 years old after graduating from college, how much talent is there to cash in?" "The team chooses a 24-year-old player, it is better to use a 19-year-old player in its own echelon" "The intensity of the college arena and the professional league are different, and it is difficult for student players to play. adapt"……

　　In fact, even CBA clubs that have paid attention to student players still have concerns about the strength and adaptability of these players.

In this CBA draft, most clubs held up the "give up" sign in the second round of the draft is an example.

　　Although the development of the CBA draft has not been smooth, such an attempt itself is of great significance.

With Yao Ming being elected chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association in 2017 and pushing for a series of reforms, the barriers between CUBA and CBA are gradually being broken, and the path for college players to the professional arena is gradually becoming clear.

　　Needless to say, even if they can really set foot on the CBA arena, the student players have to face a series of challenges such as how to transform into professional players, more intense confrontation and competition, and whether they can truly adapt to the professional arena also needs to be tested in practice.

But the step from campus to pro arena is invaluable in itself.

College players are more and more popular with CBA teams, which is why the draft exists.

　　Both the CBA and the Chinese men's basketball team are in a period of transformation and adjustment.

Only when the CBA draft is no longer a passing game, and when those selected players can truly become the backbone of various clubs, will the original intention of setting up the CBA draft not be lived up to.