Hong Kong's Oliver Xu and Ma Kong-san drafted into Chinese Basketball Association league
Xu, 29, was selected by Nanjing Monkey Kings with the No 9 pick in the opening round, while Ma, 24, was picked up by Sichuan Blue Whales in the second round, with the overall No 22 pick.
Nanjing and Sichuan finished 12th and 19th, respectively, in the 20-team league last season.
The 1.90-metre (6 feet 2 inches) Xu, who plays as a guard, joined the Japanese B.League 3 side Iwate Big Bulls at the start of the year, averaging 10.6 minutes, 4.0 points, and 1.6 rebounds in 26 matches.
The Hong Kong international went to the United States in July to feature in the Drew League – a pro-am basketball league held every summer in Los Angeles, California – and did not return to Qingdao for the draft.
This year's Chinese Basketball Association Draft was held in Qingdao. Photo: Handout
Ma, who had played professionally in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan previously, had spent the past two seasons with local A1 Division side Shung Tak Eagles. He was at the Guoxin Gymnasium for the draft and the 2.08m centre went onto the stage to put on a Sichuan cap after his name was called.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong new boy Neil Robertson backs city to host World Snooker Championship
Neil Robertson raised the possibility of moving lock, stock and barrel to Hong Kong, and said he would be 'right behind' the idea of the city hosting the World Snooker Championship. As the reigning World Grand Prix champion and winner of the 2017 Hong Kong Masters, Robertson welcomed the thought of snooker's marquee event coming to the city. The Crucible Theatre's contract to host the World Championship expires in 2027 – 50 years on from when the tournament was first held at the 980-seat Sheffield venue. 'I'd love to see it move around; it shouldn't stay in one place,' Robertson said. 'Fans in Asia have every right to support a World Championship, so I would be right behind it [coming to Hong Kong], for sure.' Robertson also mooted mainland China as a potential destination for the 17-day competition after Zhao Xintong became the country's first winner this year. Australian Robertson holds court at the launch of the Hong Kong Billiard Sport Academy. Photo: Jonathan Wong World No 1 and fellow Hong Kong resident Judd Trump similarly said there was 'much more chance than ever' of China landing the tournament following Zhao's breakthrough triumph.
South China Morning Post
10 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
2025 World Games: Lau and Sham to carry Hong Kong flag at opening ceremony in Chengdu
This year's World Games in Chengdu are expected to open on Thursday with a dazzling display of fireworks, drones and featuring the pandas that give the city its name. And Alex Lau Tsz-kwan and Lydia Sham Hiu-yu, who compete in squash and wushu respectively, will serve as Hong Kong's flag bearers at the ceremony at the Tianfu International Convention Centre, an honour officials said marked their 'remarkable achievements in international competition'. Lau claimed the men's singles title at the 23rd Asian Squash Individual Championships held in Malaysia this June, becoming just the third Hong Kong athlete to win a gold in the event. 'It is an incredible honour to be the flag bearer,' he said. 'This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I will do my best to showcase the spirit of the team.' Sham, meanwhile, is carrying her city's flag for the second time, having previously done so at the Covid-delayed World University Games in Chengdu in 2023. Lydia Sham has already had the honour of being a flag bearer. Photo: Nora Tam 'To be the flag bearer again in the same city is truly a special experience,' said Sha, who won a medal of each colour at the third Taolu World Cup in Japan last October.
South China Morning Post
16 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
British, Japanese rivals key to Hong Kong triathlete's National Games quest
Asian under-23 triathlon champion Robin Elg has said training alongside British and Japanese rivals will help him reach his potential at China's National Games in November. Elg has overcome numerous health issues, including a worrying heart problem that was detected in 2022, to become Hong Kong's brightest young prospect. And ahead of a season-defining three months, he has set up an 'insanely good' base at altitude in Font-Romeu, alongside rivals from Great Britain including 2024 Olympic medallist Sam Dickinson, and Japan's Kenji Nener. Fellow Hongkonger Oscar Coggins joined them. 'Our last run session was the best I've had for years, because we don't have that level of competition in Hong Kong,' Elg said. 'Training at home can create tensions, because we're competing with each other. 'Being in an environment with phenomenal athletes pushes you to your best level. It's my first time training with people who are better than me and I'm going to learn a lot from these guys.' Elg in action during a 2024 Asia Triathlon Cup race in Kazakhstan. Photo: TAHKC Elg is preparing for the Asia Triathlon Championships in Istanbul this month. The 23-year-old will then target October's World Under-23 Championships.
