A contract builds a ladder, and a journey of thousands of miles is expected today

Recently, the Nets officially announced that they officially signed a contract with Chinese player Zeng Fanbo. The two sides signed a "Exhibit 10 contract". Zeng Fanbo will wear the No. 12 jersey to participate in the team's training camp and preseason, and is expected to play in the NBA China Championship in October. This contract is a "stepchain" to enter the NBA, and it is also an opportunity for Xiao Zeng to fill his dream of losing the draft three years ago and chasing his NBA dream again.

But a core question also arises: did the Nets' signing take a fancy to Zeng Fanbo's progress and potential in the CBA league last season, or was it a purely tailor-made business momentum for the upcoming NBA China Tournament? The answer may not be a simple multiple-choice question.

Reporter Feng Zihan reported that fighting for opportunities must also be strong

According to relevant regulations, the Exhibit10 contract is usually for undrafts, marginal players or players seeking short-term trial opportunities in summer training camps.

Strictly speaking, it is a clause attached to a one-year unsecured basic salary contract, rather than an independent contract type. Its core function is to provide teams with flexible operating space and provide players with opportunities to enter the NBA or the development league. In addition, an NBA team cannot sign the contract with more than 6 players, while an NBA team without a subordinate Development League team is not authorized to issue the contract.

For the team, this is an extremely low-cost venture capital. They can use the minimum cost to examine players close to the actual combat environment, evaluate whether they are adapted to the team's tactical system and whether they have the potential to grow in a higher-level league.

Even though the Exhibit10 contract is essentially a "trial invitation" rather than a "work guarantee letter", there are still many players entering the NBA every year, and the competition for the Exhibit10 contract also means "a thousand troops cross a single-plank bridge".

Zeng Fanbo became famous very early. As a former Florida high school four-star potential player, he was selected into the state's best team and later joined the NBA Development League to ignite the team. This means that his understanding and adaptability to North American basketball style has certain advantages compared to players who set sail directly from the CBA. Three years ago, Zeng Fanbo appeared in the summer league for the Pacers, but failed to stand out in the draft and finally missed the opportunity to enter the NBA. After the draft, Zeng Fanbo joined the Beijing Shougang team of CBA and ushered in an explosion last season. He averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.5 blocks per game, with a three-point shooting percentage of 41%, and a career high in many data. He was also awarded the "Most Progressive Player" and was selected as the first team of the CBA All-Squad. In the playoffs, Zeng Fanbo also played eye-catching data before being injured, averaging 15 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, helping the Beijing team to reach the playoff semi-finals.

Nets' scout report must also record these highlights. From this perspective, it is reasonable to sign Zeng Fanbo: a forward who is only 22 years old, tall, ranged, and has just proved himself on the upward path in the professional league, is worth exploring with a training camp quota.

"Chinese factor" cannot be ignored

If you only focus on the competitive level, you will obviously not be able to see the overall business picture of the NBA as one of the most successful sports leagues in the world. The Chinese market is an unavoidable key factor when the Nets sign Zeng Fanbo.

In March 2024, global market intelligence company S&P disclosed data that up to 90% of Chinese adult basketball viewers will watch the NBA, which is much higher than that of Europe and even the United States. Such a huge audience must imply huge consumption power. Relevant data shows that the NBA's Chinese business is worth US$5 billion, and its revenue sources include copyright broadcast fees, sponsorships and franchise rights.

An upcoming time point is more noteworthy: On October 10 and October 12, the Nets and the Suns will play two preseason games at the Venetian Variety Hall in Macau, China. This is the return of the NBA China Championship after many years. Both the league and the team hope to achieve the greatest market response. At this time, having a Chinese player in the team is tantamount to installing the strongest "traffic engine" for this commercial feast. Regardless of how long Zeng Fanbo's final playing time, his training with the team, appearance in public events, and even a brief appearance in preseason will become the focus of external attention and the sustenance of fans' emotions.

As a Chinese boss, the head of the Nets, Cai Chongxin, has always been interested in promoting the exchange of China-US basketball. He had previously invited Cui Yongxi to participate in training and helped Han Xu enter the WNBA. The signing of Zeng Fanbo is not only a continuation of this strategy, but also in line with his long-term business logic of deepening the Chinese market.

Therefore, market factors play the role of "catalyst" and "amplifier" in this contract decision. It may not be the only motivation, but it is definitely the key driving force that prompted the Nets to choose Zeng Fanbo among the many potential trial candidates and officially announce it at this specific point in time.

The road is under Xiao Zeng's own feet

No matter what, it is gratifying that Zeng Fanbo can get the chance to enter the NBA again. However, the popularity of the Chinese competition with a strong commercial atmosphere will eventually fade. Whether all the stories can continue depends on whether Xiao Zeng can conquer the coaching staff every minute in the training camp.

"As a member of the Nets, it is very special to me to be able to play in China. As a Chinese basketball player, I hope to break the outside world's possible stereotypes about Asian players through hard work." On September 24, Zeng Fanbo said this when attending the Nets' media day event.

For Zeng Fanbo personally, this is a rare opportunity and a severe challenge. After suffering injuries this summer and missing many opportunities for training and improvement, he set out again. Not only did he pursue his personal NBA dream, but he also carries huge attention from a market. Currently, the Nets' training camp has more than 20 people, and the competition in the forward position is very fierce.. The future path depends on every defense, every rebound, and every shot.

For Chinese basketball, this incident reminds us once again that there is no shortcut to the world's highest basketball hall. The strength of players is fundamental, and the prosperity of the commercial market can create more opportunities and better environments for it. No matter what the result of Zeng Fanbo's attempt, the process itself has positive significance for the growth of Chinese players. The script has been opened, and Zeng Fanbo’s story will eventually be determined by the answer he wrote on the basketball court. Hundreds of millions of Chinese fans are looking forward to this answer to be exciting and long-lasting.