College push making the grade

Top pick Michael Ou Junxuan, selected by the Shanghai Sharks, was touted as the brightest prospect thanks to his two years' experience in the NCAA's Division 1 tournament for California State University, Northridge.

The 21-year-old forward/center, who stands 2.1 meters tall, said he'd rather be known in the CBA for his game than just his reputation from his NCAA stint.

"I want to be remembered as a low-profile and hard-working player," said Ou, who started full-time training at 13 at a CBA-sanctioned basketball school in Dongguan, Guangdong province.

"The biggest challenge is to get used to the intensity, pace and physicality in competitions of the professional league and I believe my experience playing in the US will help me make a smooth transition," said Ou, who averaged 3.0 points and 2.2 rebounds in 50 games for CSUN over the past two seasons.

Ou's potential as a strong post player impressed Shanghai's coaching staff last September, when he scored 23 points in a warm-up game representing an NCAA select team against the Sharks during the CBA club's training trip to Los Angeles.

With the 2020-21 CBA season less than two months away, Ou said his goal for his rookie campaign is to average a double-double and help the Sharks rediscover their bite after missing out on the postseason this year.

Zhu Mingzhen, a forward from Peking University, and Lin Ting-chien, a Chinese Taipei player representing Bryant University in the NCAA, were selected second and third by the Guangzhou Loong Lions and Tianjin Pioneers respectively on Friday.

Beijing-born Zhu－whose father hails from Uganda and whose mother is Chinese－boasts exceptional athleticism and consistent shooting on the perimeter.

The 24-year-old, a product of Beijing No 4 Middle School's renowned youth basketball program, is currently competing with PKU on his last year in the CUBA as the university bids to secure a fourth consecutive national title. Cultivated in Beijing's high-school league and then honed in the collegiate ranks, Zhu's status as one of the hottest commodities at the draft is indicative of the school sports system's rising stock with CBA clubs.