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Zeng Fanbo: Opportunities from a CBA star to an NBA!

8:05pm, 5 August 2025Basketball

On August 2, 2025, the Nets and Chinese 22-year-old forward Zeng Fanbo signed an Exhibit 10 training camp contract, and are scheduled to enter the training camp to strive for a two-way contract and a formal rotation list. This is another NBA challenge after signing the Exhibit 10 contract with the Pacers in 2022.

Reviewing Zeng Fanbo's career trajectory, born in a basketball family in Harbin, Heilongjiang, he joined the Beijing Shougang youth training system since childhood. He went to the United States to study at Windermere Preparatory School in Florida at the age of 11. He was once rated as a four-star high school student by ESPN. He once verbally promised to enroll in Gonzaga, and eventually chose to join the Development Alliance due to personnel changes. During the

Development League, the average data was about 2.9 points, and the three-point shooting percentage was close to 40%, and the overall performance was not outstanding. After returning to China, he played for Beijing Shougang, and averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in the 2024-25 season, shooting percentage of 53% and three-point shooting percentage of 41%. For joining the Nets this time, it is likely to be an important part of the Chinese basketball world on the international route, and it also opened a new beginning for Zeng Fanbo's second NBA sprint.

First of all, what is an Exhibit 10 contract?

This is an unguaranteed training camp invitation contract. The core provides the team with the opportunity to screen out potential players at low cost. Once the player is laid off, the team can still allocate players to the Development League team and pay a maximum bonus of about 85,000, provided that the player agrees to go to the Development League to play.

The Nets' current rotation list has reached the 21-man limit, of which only about half are fully guaranteed contracts, and there is still a two-way contract quota. Zeng Fanbo's joining means that he will compete with other players for this last chance.

For the Nets, even if they fail to stay Zeng Fanbo in the end, they can still retain his rights in the development league and leave it to the subsequent observation of potential development. As for Zeng Fanbo, he got the NBA opportunity again and even if he failed to successfully enter the regular rotation in the end, he could still stay in the Development League to accumulate practical experience.

Of course, the best result is to achieve outstanding results and have the opportunity to turn into a two-way or guarantee contract.

From the technical characteristics and positioning potential, Zeng Fanbo is a typical 3D space forward, good at receiving ball-type outside and running without the ball, and his goal is positioned as the connection point between pulling space and defensive rotation. At the same time, it has good inside defense and blocking capabilities, and has certain advantages in fast break ending and positional killing.

208's height, about 96KG's weight, and has the flexibility of position between the wings and the defenders. From this part, we can basically discuss his potential role in the Nets:

First, he is in the third position, a small forward and space wing, responsible for opening offensive space stance and receiving shots, and participating in defensive rotation at the same time; secondly, the space-type number four character, the Nets are currently slightly weak in the depth of the frontcourt rotation. If Zeng Fanbo can enhance the confrontation and double-teaming in the inside, he will have a chance to play as a hybrid forward, providing more space opportunities.

The worst is the last one: bench substitute and two-way player

If he does not initially enter the regular lineup, he can also stay in the Development League as an alternate rotation option and continue to wait for opportunities.

Of course, the challenges on this road are still quite large. NBA small forwards and power forwards are generally stronger, while Xiao Zeng is now weighing about 100 kilograms. Whether he can face the strong internal and external players in the first-tier line is still a question mark. If the strength and confrontation cannot be quickly improved, the subsequent playing time will naturally be difficult to guarantee.

In addition, defensive position and offensive conversion ability also need to be improved, and the NBA has higher requirements for transverse speed and defensive rhythm. For this part, he also needs to improve the offensive and defensive conversion speed so that he can be competent for the flexible tasks of the counterattack line.

Combined with the content of the game during the CBA period, Zeng Fanbo often had some passive situations on the offensive end and lacked the ability to directly hold the ball and break through. If the part that can't be improved independently creates offensive, his role is likely to be limited to a pure shooter position, and even affects his market value and appearance space.

Finally, there is the injury risk management part. In April 2025, Xiao Zeng suffered a waist injury in the CBA playoffs. After diagnosis, he was diagnosed with a lumbar fracture, and the recovery period is about 2-3 months. The Basketball Association also allowed him to withdraw from the Asian Cup to ensure his health; although he recovered, strict control of the competitive load in the future will still be needed.

Combined with the team strategy, in the 2025 NBA draft night, the Nets used up five first rounds, three of which were non-American players, including Yegor Jamin from Russia, Nolan Traore from France, and Ben Salav from Israel, which clearly showed the team's youthful blood exchange and internationalization strategy for the lineup. At this stage, Chinese player Zeng Fanbo was chosen to sign Chinese player to respond to the team's internationalization trend and consolidate the influence of the Asian market.

Nets boss Cai Chongxin invested in the establishment of a Cai Chongxin basketball scholarship to support Chinese youth players in the United States to train. In the past, he has signed contracts with domestic players such as Cui Yongxi. Zeng Fanbo's joining is also an important step in continuing the Asian strategic plan. The Nets are expected to go to Macau to participate in the NBA China Championship in early October, and face the Suns on October 10 and 12 respectively. This will also be an opportunity for Zeng Fanbo to make his debut on the Asian stage as an NBA player.

Currently, the Nets have a full roster of 21 players, leaving only one vacant position in both directions. Faced with this competitive position, it is not difficult to predict his future career development path:

Hypothesis 1: Successfully converted to a two-way formal contract, rotated between the NBA and the Development League, if you perform well, you will have a chance to enter the Nets' regular lineup..

Hypothesis 2: Stay in the Development League and continue to study. If he ultimately misses the two-way contract, he can still stay in the Nets' Development League to train and grow. If his performance is stable in the future, he still has the opportunity to attract the attention of other NBA teams.

Hypothesis 3: Return to the CBA League. If he chooses to return to the CBA, this experience will also be his valuable experience in stabilizing his main position in the domestic league in the future.

Of course, from the best perspective, if Zeng Fanbo can successfully enter the regular rotation, his role is likely not only within the tactical role, but also has the opportunity to become a key bridge between the NBA and the Chinese market. The Nets also have the opportunity to achieve business growth in market influence and business cooperation.

Summary: Zeng Fanbo's choice to join the Nets with the Exhibit 10 contract this time is risky and uncertain, but it is an extremely critical step for himself and the Chinese basketball world.

This is a comprehensive challenge of tactical adjustment, physical fitness upgrade, player psychology and role positioning transformation. No matter what the final result is, his attempt can also be regarded as a true portrayal of the impact of the next generation of Chinese men's basketball players towards the NBA, and it is also a good signal revealed from the institutional level.

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