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Chinese Basketball Association
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Red hot China rookie Zhou Qi set to make NBL debut for South East Melbourne Phoenix

  • After signing with NBL team Phoenix in September, the 25-year-old former Houston Rockets centre makes his debut this weekend
  • Contract disputes with the Chinese Basketball Association forced Zhou Qi to seek opportunities outside the mainland

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Zhou Qi (right) takes on Japan’s Schafer Avi Koki during a Group B match between China and Japan at the Fiba Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers in Sendai, Japan, on November 27. Photo: Xinhua
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Zhou Qi might be the hottest prospect to emerge out of China in recent years.

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The 25-year-old former Houston Rockets centre has been a regular fixture on the China men’s national basketball circuit since 2014, winning team gold at the 2015 Fiba Asia Championship and the 2018 Asian Games.

After some contract disputes with CBA, Zhou signed with South East Melbourne Phoenix in September and is set to make his NBL debut when his new team take on the New Zealand Breakers at John Cain Arena on Saturday in front of Melbourne fans for the first time since mid-2021.

Zhou is coming in hot on the heels of a game-winning performance during the Fiba Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers in Japan last month, where he scored 24 points to lead China to a 79-63 victory over Japan in their first Group B match.

Zhou Qi during a South East Melbourne Phoenix NBL training session at State Basketball Centre on November 8. Photo: Getty Images
Zhou Qi during a South East Melbourne Phoenix NBL training session at State Basketball Centre on November 8. Photo: Getty Images

Zhou’s debut with Phoenix had been uncertain after he suffered a slight ankle sprain in Japan, but Phoenix head coach Simon Mitchell this week said the 2.16m star was “good to go”.

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“He is something we haven’t seen before at this level in the NBL,” Mitchell said.

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