College player pipeline fuels CBA Draft

In 2015, the CBA launched its first-ever draft.

Fang Junlei, a guard from Northwestern Polytechnical University, became the league's inaugural No 1 pick — and the only player selected that year.

But being the first "top pick" did not guarantee a career in the spotlight. Fang played just two minutes in his rookie season, finishing with two points and one assist before his brief CBA career came to an end.

One draft. One player. Two minutes on court.

It was a stark beginning for a system designed to bridge the divide between college basketball and the professional game.

A decade later, that pathway looks very different.

In the 2025 CBA Draft, Tsinghua University center Yang Xihao was selected first overall.

After just one CBA season, he earned a call-up to the Chinese national team training camp in May, showing how far the draft system has evolved.

On Tuesday, the 2026 CBA Draft was held in Beijing. Guard Sung Hsin-hao from the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association was selected first overall.

Born in 2003, Sung emerged as one of the top prospects ahead of the draft. At the 2025 Asian University Basketball League, the 1.85-meter guard delivered 29 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in the final to lead his team to the championship and earn Finals MVP honors.

Sichuan Whales originally secured the No 1 pick through the lottery, but Guangzhou Loong Lions acquired the selection through an earlier trade and chose Sung as expected.

He became the second player from Chinese Taipei to be selected as No 1 pick in the CBA Draft, following Chen Ying-chun, who also previously played for Guangzhou.

Chen also helped Sung understand his new club.

"He told me about the environment at Loong Lions and how the team treated him," Sung said. "That made me trust the club more."

Sung believes he has the skills to help the team.

"Guangzhou may need more ball control and scoring ability," he said, adding that CBA guards don't just attack but also tend to control the pace of games.

The second pick, Jiangsu Dragons selected Taiyuan University of Technology guard Cao Zhihao, this season's CUBAL Finals MVP.

After trials with Jiangsu, Cao said being selected fulfilled a long-time dream.

"I am very excited. This is the realization of a goal I have worked toward for years," Cao said.

He hopes to bring his defensive intensity, speed and energy from university basketball into the professional league, while learning from experienced teammates.

This year's draft highlighted college basketball's growing role as a CBA talent pipeline.

Among this year's 18 selections, 11 came from universities. The total number of university players entering the CBA through the draft has reached 114, accounting for more than half of all selections.

"The level of physicality in the CBA is definitely different," said Southeast University guard and fourth pick Zheng Boxuan, who is heading to the Nanjing Monkey Kings. He added that improving his shooting consistency and technical skills would be his priorities.

For many college stars, entering the CBA means adapting to stronger opponents, a faster pace of play and more demanding tactical requirements.

However, following its 12th edition, the key question facing the CBA Draft is no longer simply whether it can bring young players into the league, but whether it can attract the best talent and provide them with meaningful opportunities to develop.

A total of 69 players were eligible for this year's draft, including 30 from the Chinese University Basketball Association League (CUBAL), five from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, two from overseas universities and others from China's National Basketball League, CBA youth teams and individual applications.

Only 18 players were picked by 10 clubs, and some clubs did not use all of their picks. The total number of players selected through the CBA Draft has now reached 210.

Behind the years of clear progress, though, new challenges have emerged: this year's number of selections fell to a six-year low, while some highly rated prospects chose alternative routes into professional basketball.

For instance, Tsinghua University guard Shi Kui, widely considered a potential top pick, chose not to enter the CBA Draft and instead joined NBL powerhouse Hong Kong Bulls.

As a native of Dongguan, Guangdong province, Shi has strong ties to the Greater Bay Area basketball community.

Compared with the uncertainty of the draft process, the NBL club's competitiveness and development plan offered another path.

"After joining the team, I feel the atmosphere is very positive. It is a very energetic and competitive team," Shi said.

"This is a great opportunity to start my professional career. I hope to show my full ability and help the team achieve its goals."

Yang Yang, a vice-president of the Chinese Basketball Association, said the association would continue improving the talent selection and development system, optimizing draft rules and expanding scouting channels.

For the CBA Draft, the next challenge is not simply increasing the number of selected players, it is making the league more attractive to young talent, protecting rookies' rights and ensuring clubs truly invest in player development.

The real measure of the 2026 draft will not be where its 18 players were selected, but how many minutes they receive — and how far they can go with them.