Major signing! Hello, CBA! The champion foreign player reunites with Zhang Zhenlin for a second collaboration

Wuhu is buzzing.

Reported by a well-known domestic basketball platform:Fogg brings his talent to the Shanghai team, reuniting with Zhang Zhenlin.

This guy is definitely familiar to everyone, having been the crucial foreign player who helped Liaoning secure three championships. In 2024, he was awarded the FMVP. Last season’s regular season stats were 23.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, with shooting percentages of 47.4% and 39.1%. In the playoffs, he averaged 11.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.8 steals, shooting 35.7% and 20%.

Due to Fogg’s age (35) and a decline in performance, Liaoning chose not to renew his contract this summer. He then joined the Shanghai team, where his extensive playoff experience and championship mindset are highly valued. Even now, he is more than capable of filling the role of the third foreign player.

The Shanghai team looks quite strong for the new season, with the main roster as follows:

Inside players: Wang Zhelin, Lofton, Yan Pengfei; Forwards: Zhang Zhenlin, Li Hongquan, Liu Zheng; Guards: Goodwin, Fogg, Li Tianrong, Cui Xiaolong.

However, if Shanghai wants to contend for the championship, it might still be a stretch. They face several tough rivals such as the reigning champions Guangsha, led by Sun Minghui, Zhu Junlong, and Hu Jinqiu; Beijing, now with Chinese national team captain Zhao Rui; and Guangdong, who aggressively acquired Cui Yongxi and Jiao Boqiao. None of these are easy opponents.

But if Shanghai’s goal for the new season is simply to improve on last year’s results, it’s likely achievable. In the 24-25 regular season, they finished tenth in the league with a 28-18 record and were eliminated 1-2 by Guangdong in the first playoff round.

Regarding the CBA landscape for the new season, it seems the top four will be Shanghai, Guangsha, Beijing, and Guangdong. Other teams like Zhejiang have lost Yu Jiahao, Shanxi no longer has Goodwin and Diallo, and Liaoning has seen departures and retirements... Overall, competition won’t be as fierce as last season when many teams were closely matched.

It must be said that Shanghai’s recruitment efforts in recent years have frequently impressed, even though the results haven’t fully reflected that. This is thanks to their strong financial backing and the appeal of being based in a major international city.