The Brooklyn Nets have signed David Muoka, a 24-year-old 6’11” big man and a native of Hong Kong near where Brooklyn Nets will play the Suns next month. The contract apparently is partially guaranteed standard NBA deal.
Keith Smith of Spotrac was first with the news
The Nets later made it official.
Ary’s Report quoted Muoka’s agent as saying the deal was a standard deal rather than a training camp invite. Unless he surprises in camp,
he seems ultimately bound for Long Island where he played two years ago…
The signing officially gives the Nets 21 players, 19 on standard deals, guaranteed and non- or partially guaranteed, and two ways. However, the Nets have all but signed two additional players, Fanbo Zeng, also from Greater China, and Ricky Council IV. The Nets reached an agreement with both, but have yet to officially sign either. So the Nets will have to make moves between now and September 23, Media Day, to get down to 15 standard deals and three two-ways, the training camp limit.
Muoka, a defensive-oriented, traditional big, played at Lamar and UNLV after graduating from West Island School in Hong Kong. Since then, Muoka has bounced around the periphery of the NBA, having played twice in a Nets uniform, with the Long Island Nets in 2022-23 Summer League and the Nets summer league team in July 2024. Last season with the Windy City Bulls, he averaged nearly a double-double: 11.6 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He shot 64.6% overall and 58.6% from the line. He did not attempt a 3-point shot.
As his Wikipedia entry shows, he’s been knocking at door for two years now:
After forgoing his super-senior season, Muoka was selected 3rd overall in the 2023 NBA G League draft by the Capital City Go-Go, but was waived on 9 November 9 2023. Four days later, he joined the Long Island Nets where he played in 38 games and averaged 4.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 14.7 minutes.
After going undrafted in last year’s NBA draft, Muoka joined the Brooklyn Nets for the 2024 NBA Summer League and on October 2024, he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers, becoming the first Hong Konger to ink an NBA deal, before being waived the same day. On 28 October, he joined the Rip City Remix[ before being traded to the Windy City Bulls on November 5.
Muoka’s presence will no doubt be another marketing boost for the NBA China Games which are being held across Hong Kong’s Great Bay in the resort city of Macao October 10 and 12. Should he and Fanbo play together in either game, it will be the first time two Chinese will play in an NBA game for the same team. The Games are the first time since 2019 that China has hosted the NBA. The follow an active summer in the league’s biggest market. A host of NBA stars including LeBron James, Steph Curry, Nikola Jokic, Anthony Edwards, Victor Wembenyama and D’Angelo Russell have al
