Shanxi Men’s Basketball Team -reinforces internally and externally- to achieve the integration of old and new and -aims for the top eight- in the new season

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On October 8, the Shanxi Fenjiu Men’s Basketball Team held a press conference at the Shanxi Sports Center to kick off their upcoming season. With a new foreign player policy in place this year, they’ve signed partially guaranteed contracts with four foreign athletes. Each game will feature a maximum of four foreign players distributed across the four quarters, allowing for a total of seven player appearances throughout the game.

The Shanxi Fenjiu team is not only retaining many key domestic players but also welcoming talented newcomers, including Liu Chuanxing, who recently celebrated an NBL championship. The team’s goal for the new season is ambitious: to “break into the top ten and compete for a place in the top eight.” Leading the coaching staff is 39-year-old Pan Jiang, joined by assistant coaches Zhang Xuewen, Wei Mingliang, and foreign coach Holman.

Under updated CBA regulations for foreign players, each of the 20 teams can now roster up to four foreign athletes. The game structure allows for two foreign players in the first three quarters and one in the final quarter. The Shanxi Fenjiu team has secured four foreign talents: Czech national team center Jan Vesely, Senegalese power forward Youssou Ndoye, NBA veteran shooting guard Hamidou Diallo, and point guard Goodwin.

Jan Vesely, 32, who stands 2.18 meters tall, comes to Shanxi after stints with Bayern Munich and Gran Canaria, and he previously played for NBL’s Jiangsu Lions where he averaged 20.9 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks over 26 regular-season games last season, earning the titles of rebounding and block leader. Meanwhile, Youssou Ndoye, 27, made his mark in the French league last season, averaging 12.2 points and 6.4 rebounds, and was recognized as the league’s blocking champion.

Hamidou Diallo, born in 1998, has an impressive NBA background, having played for teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Detroit Pistons, and Washington Wizards. Over 265 NBA games, he averaged 8.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in just 18.6 minutes per game, gaining recognition after winning the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 2019. Goodwin, at 28, also offers exciting potential, having recorded averages of 21.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 7.5 assists in the Puerto Rican league last season, along with a stellar three-point shooting percentage of 44.5%.

In addition to their international recruits, the Shanxi Fenjiu team has bolstered its roster with domestic players, including Jia Mingru, Jiao Hailong, Zhao Xuhong, and Liu Chuanxing. They’ve also promoted rising stars Gong Zixuan and Jiao Zhongyi from the youth leagues, creating an effective mix of experience and youthful energy.

General Manager Wang Jianwu articulated the team’s aspirations, stating, “In the past three seasons, our focus has been on ‘making the playoffs’ or finishing in the top 12. This season, we’re aiming to break into the top ten and fight for a top eight position. We’ve set this target based on our adjustments and signings over the summer. Our team is more balanced in age and skill, and we’ve strengthened our overall capabilities. As a competitive and passionate group, we need to push our limits and strive for greater achievements.”

The CBA 2024-2025 season officially kicks off on October 12, 2024, featuring both a regular season and playoffs. The regular season consists of 46 rounds, with each team slated to play 46 games—23 at home and 23 away. The teams will be grouped into four divisions based on their performance from the 2023-2024 season, competing against familiar faces in their group four times and against teams from other groups two times. The Shanxi Fenjiu team is placed in Group D along with Guangdong Hongyuan, Zhejiang Guangsha, Nanjing Tongxi, and Sichuan Jincheng.