The defense was praised by Paulo and scored like a kaleidoscope. Why did the all-round warrior Xu Yuanzheng "absent" the CBA?

Paul George, the top NBA forward and guard, is known for his comprehensive offense and defense. During his China trip to China in the summer of 2022, a Chinese player's defense impressed him and he praised him in public. This player is Xu Yuanzheng, who is called "all-round warrior" by fans. He is fierce in defense and proficient in breaking through, shooting and passing on the offensive end, like a top player. However, he was so dazzling, but he did not appear in the CBA League, the highest palace in Chinese basketball. Behind this seemingly contradictory phenomenon is the complexity of China's basketball ecology and the diversity of personal career path choices. That direct conversation with the NBA superstar became the best endorsement of Xu Yuanzheng's ability. George repeatedly named Xu Yuanzheng's defensive strength and skills during the event, which is a very high honor for any player.

"Kausage-style" defense expert: Xu Yuanzheng's defense is his most distinctive label. He has excellent physical ability to fight, fast lateral movements and an endless defensive enthusiasm. Whether he is marking the opponent's arrow characters or rotating and filling up positions in regional defense, he has a strong presence, good at creating physical contact to interfere with the offensive rhythm, and has a keen sense of stealing and smelling.

The "Swiss Army Knife" on the offensive end: Xu Yuanzheng is by no means a blue-collar worker who only knows defense. He has extremely rich offensive methods: sharp breakthroughs with the ball, both speed and change; stable mid- and long-distance jump shots, the ability to shoot as soon as you catch the ball and create space after dribbling; the ending feel at the basket is soft; what is even more rare is that he has a good passing vision and awareness, and can create opportunities for his teammates in breakthroughs, passes or fast attacks. This kind of balanced offense and defense omnipotence is exactly what modern basketball advocates.

So, why didn't such a player who has been recognized by NBA stars and has comprehensive skills enter the CBA field? There are many reasons: the CBA draft is the main channel for most non-youth training players to enter the league. Although Xu Yuanzheng is famous in the wild court and three-man basketball industry, he faces some objective challenges when signing up for the CBA draft: Age factor: Compared with players who are directly promoted to the CBA from the youth team (usually 18-20 years old), or top rookies in the university league (around 22 years old), Xu Yuanzheng is not at an advantage in his age when he participates in the draft. CBA teams tend to invest in young players with greater potential and longer training cycles. "Hardware" considerations: CBA teams, especially for guard positions, often have high requirements for static talents such as height and wingspan (generally prefer tall guards above 1.9 meters). Xu Yuanzheng's height is not an outstanding feature in the competition for professional five-a-side defenders. Although his dynamic ability and technology can be compensated, it may be regarded as a potential shortcoming in draft evaluation.

The legend and rich returns of the "Brasky Ball World": The Chinese private basketball market ("Brasky Ball") is huge in scale and has extremely high commercial value. Players of Xu Yuanzheng are top foreign aid-level figures invited to major commercial events, city elite competitions, and label competitions. The appearance fee for a single game may be far more than the daily salary of ordinary CBA players, and the time schedule is more free, and there are more opportunities for business cooperation (endorses, personal brands). Choosing to be the "Battleball Top Story" means more considerable instant economic benefits and greater personal brand control.

Therefore, Xu Yuanzheng's "absence" of the CBA is not a regretful failure, but more like a sober basketball fighter who actively chose the battlefield that can best display his talents and realize his value in the vast world. When he secures the victory in a three-man field or makes fans tsunami on a wild court, the light of achievement is no less than any field. The territory of Chinese basketball has become more vast and vivid because of these diverse and exciting choices.