Like Saturday night’s game against Hapoel Jerusalem will be a big problem for Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf, the two games next week in Macao will be a big problem for Fanbo Zeng, in fact. While Saraf and Wolf can be playing against friends and colleagues from Israel, Zeng (his last name) will go home … or close enough.
Zeng is from Harbin, an industrial city near the Russian border at the northeast of the country. Macao, Las Vegas of the People’s Republic, is on the other side of the bay from Hong Kong, 1,800 miles to the south. That said, the 22-year-old player is well known throughout the country, a member of the Chinese national team who was the most improved player and the first All-CBA team, a rising star.
In an interview with Brian Lewis on Friday, Zeng said he plans to give 100% every time he arrives on the court if it is Saturday at Barclays Center against Hapoel Jerusalem or next week in Macao vs. Phoenix Suns. The three games will be broadcast live in China and the United States.
“It will be very big for me, especially playing as part of this family (Nets),” Zeng told The Post. “And playing in part of China is huge for me. It doesn’t matter what I have, I’ll go 100 percent every second.
“And especially (from) we have 21 on the list at this time, that is a great fight for me, especially (after) in the summer, I had a (back) injury. I am enjoying the whole process. So it doesn’t matter if it is in Macao or whatever, since I had the opportunity to play, I will go 100 percent, I get hard.”
Currently, Zeng is in an agreement in Annex 10, a camp invitation without contract, but is seen as a strong candidate for the third vacancy. The Nets currently have Tyson Etienne and Ej Liddell on two ways.
“We have many good players and we are all fighting for something: some of whom fight for a starting point, others for rotation. Like me, I am fighting for a bidirectional or on the list,” Zeng told Lewis. “I’ve been going through summer, all I did was try to prove myself and have the opportunity.”
Zeng said this is his second chance in the NBA. In October 2021, Zeng increased a commitment to Gonzaga and, on the other hand, signed with the Giria G that lit the NBA G League. He was not recruited in 2022 and two days after the draft, he signed a contract from Annex 10 with the Indiana Pacers.
“I had a chance before, and I lost it. The second chance was huge for me to even try to get it. I just have to continue fighting, keep working hard … I’m doing my thing. I have a long career, looking to get another opportunity. But this time I am doing it.”
In fact, after not doing the Pacers, he returned to China, where he played for the Beijing Ducks for three years before joining Brooklyn the day before the media day.
While some fans could see Zeng’s time in Brooklyn as part of the team’s international marketing effort, particularly with Joe Tsai as the main owner and just before the trip to China, Zeng has repeatedly said that he sees this as an opportunity to play in the NBA. It is a dream that has housed at least since it arrived in the United States to play the high school ball, making the first team of the star in Florida as a second year student.
A lot has been developed since it averaged 3.8 points and 1.8 boards in 13.6 minutes for G League Ignite in 2021-22. As Lewis points out, Zeng now weighs 228 pounds, compared to less than 200 at that time.
Zeng told Lewis that he has not yet had the opportunity to meet Joe Tsai, but is aware of the unique connection of the franchise with China, where they are usually seen as the third most popular NBA team. This will be the fourth time, eight games, the Nets have played in China in the last 15 years. No other team has visited three times. And of the nine Chinese players who have reached the NBA, three played for the Nets: Yi Jianlian, Jacky Cui and now Zeng.
What happens if he didn’t succeed? Lewis asked Zeng. He said he would return to China, he is confident that he did everything he could, and added that he is struggling to help break down the stereotypes to help the next harvest of young Asian players who accompany him.
Meanwhile, NBAs and NBA will promote it on their page in Weibo, the great Chinese social media site, publishing images and even a video of their time in the practice of this weekend in the park. Chinese fans will have their first look at Zeng in a Net uniform on Saturday. Chinese television carries the Nets vs. game. Hapoel Jerusalem Live – 8:00 AM Beijing Time Sunday.
- The signer of the ZENG Fanbo networks ready to carry ‘100 percent’ during China Homecoming ($) – Brian Lewis – New York Post
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