When Cui Xongxi aka Jacky Cui, went down with a torn ACL last December, it looked like his career with the Nets was over. The then 21-year-old wing was on a two-way contract which Brooklyn hoped would lead to a standard deal, but everyone including Joe Tsai, a big advocate, knew the road from the CBA to the NBA would be long.
Now, nine months later, Cui is in L.A. working out in hopes of filling his NBA dream … and helping Team China’s fortunes. As Brian Lewis reported Tuesday…
In an interview on his progress posted on his personal Weibo site earlier this month, Cui said he estimated he’s only 50 to 60% recovered, he hoped to be doing 5-on-5 drills as early as next month. Would the Nets, specifically the Long Island Nets, be one of his options? That’s been a rumor in Chinese basketball circles, spurred no doubt by word from Fanbo Zeng that he’ll soon sign an Exhibit 10 contract which could lead to two-way for the 6’11” wing who like Cui is also 22. Two Chinese players in the same organization at the same time would be unprecedented in the NBA.
In April, Cui did an interview with the G League in which he spoke glowingly of his time with the Nets, both in Brooklyn and Long Island, a newfound love for New York, particularly a Flushing, Queens, pool hall, and his appreciation for what Tsai had done for him.
But the big takeaway was that Cui wants to continue on his NBA path rather than head back to the Chinese Basketball Association where he had starred before joining the Portland Trail Blazers in Summer League, then the Nets in preseason and regular season.
“In social media, a lot of people thought I’m done,” Cui told an unseen interviewer, referring to China’s active sports media space. “But a lot of people, like 70 to 80%, think I will get back to the NBA.”
The 6’8” wing who was on a two-way earlier this season said he’s focused on another number, the one given him by his HSS surgeon, that there’s a 99% success rate for the surgery.
It was the first major injury for the 21-year-old and he admits he was depressed early on in his recovery. Then, he hit on an inspiration: his idol, Kobe Bryant.
“Kobe torn his achilles. I tore my ACL. Every time I look bad, I say what would Kobe do,” he added. “Did he give up?”
“I can’t forget you,’ he said of Bryant. “I can still take your mentality to keep playing in the NBA.
So, could he and the Nets have a reunion? When Brooklyn waived him, they lost both his NBA rights and his G League rights. He’s now an unrestricted free agent, open to sign with anyone in either league. He didn’t mention that possibility in the interview but not long after he got hurt, Cui posted some reflections from his brief rookie season in the NBA, and had the following message (translated from Mandarin) for the Brooklyn Nets … and Tsai:
“I really thank the Brooklyn Nets for giving me the opportunity to let an ignorant teenager with the dream of NBA truly stand on the highest level of world basketball. After I was injured, they provided me with meticulous care and concern, so that I never felt lonely and helpless in the United States.
Tsai, he said, had visited him in the hospital.
“I also want to thank the Nets owner Mr. Joe Tsai. He took out precious time from his busy schedule to visit me in person. He gave me a lot of encouragement and advice, which made me more determined to overcome the injury and return to the court. Injury is unfortunate, but the warm care of Mr. Tsai made me feel real happiness.”
Any journey back from a torn ACL will be difficult and Cui was only averaging 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds when he was declared out for the season, but Cui has already gotten this far. Should he sign with Long Island or another G League team, the parent club would hold no rights. His small salary as a G Leaguer would not count against the Brooklyn salary cap. What it would do, of course, is help the Nets standing in China which can in turn be helpful in marketing the team. It could even help with NBA free agents who increasingly understand that China has become enormously popular in promoting their own personal brands. Ask Steph Curry whose Warriors are the most popular team in China, according to various reports.
Being with one of the most popular basketball brands in China wouldn’t hurt.
