The Nets have made it official! Zeng Fanbo has been waived! His 22-day NBA trial has come to an end!

Lying in bed, I saw the news:The Nets officially announced they would waive forward Zeng Fanbo.

Zeng had previously signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Nets and traveled with the team to play two NBA China games in Macau.

However, he only appeared in the first game for 10 minutes and 6 seconds, with a -15 plus-minus rating, 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 0 turnovers, and 3 fouls. He did not play in the second game, which triggered broad debate in China’s basketball circles.

Some blamed coach Fernandes, others even criticized Boss Cai...

But when I saw the news of him being waived, I remained calm; it was an expected outcome.

After all, this is the fate of most Exhibit 10 players.

Just a few days ago, I mentioned that even players like Dariq Whitehead and Drew Timme with similar backgrounds were waived by the Nets.

Objectively speaking, Zeng’s ability is not on par with theirs.

An Exhibit 10 is not a formal “contract” per se; it refers to a clause that only includes the Exhibit 10 bonus, without any additional bonuses.

Players who are waived can be assigned by NBA teams to their G League affiliates.

If the player stays with the G League team for 60 days, they can receive a bonus ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.

If the Exhibit 10 contract converts to a two-way contract, that $5,000 to $50,000 bonus becomes a fully guaranteed salary.

According to updates from Zeng Fanbo’s studio, he will return to the U.S. to focus on restoring his body to 100% and use this time to evaluate his next steps.

His next destination, whether it’s CBA Beijing Shougang or the Long Island Nets, is a choice he needs to make.

At 22 years old, he had a 22-day trial with the team.

How should we evaluate Zeng Fanbo’s brief journey?

Regarding this, I won’t criticize the Nets or their head coach.

If there’s a next time, and an NBA team offers a Chinese forward 10 minutes of playing time, even though he might not play a second or will likely be waived in the end...

I believe Zeng and other Chinese players would gladly accept and fight for such an opportunity, even if the chance of staying is only 1%, even if it’s just training with the team.

When you complain or even curse the Nets for giving only 10 minutes of playing time, have you considered:

How many talented players in the NBA G League train desperately just to earn those 10 minutes, to wear an NBA jersey, but ultimately never get the chance...

You might think the Nets signed Zeng Fanbo just for publicity or ticket sales.

But from the perspective of actual playing time, he still needs to be thankful to Boss Cai for this rare opportunity... because it’s truly hard to come by.

Fans shouldn’t compare Yang Hansen’s current situation with Zeng’s; the circumstances are very different.

A first-round draft pick andan Exhibit 10 player, can they be treated the same...

Zeng surely has regrets, such as not playing preseason at his best physical condition, or not having longer training time with the team...

But that chapter is closed now.

What I believe is that every step Chinese players take toward the NBA inevitably brings experience—right or wrong, lessons learned or gains made.

If Zeng returns to the CBA, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

After all, looking up should not be about pride but about envisioning the vast sky; looking down should not mean surrender but about seeing the path beneath your feet clearly.

I have always felt that he rose to fame too early and took too big steps in recent years.

If a Chinese forward cannot demonstrate autonomous offensive skills even in the CBA, often standing in the corner without the ball, and is not a primary offensive option among domestic players...

Honestly, that player is far from the NBA; even playing in the G League would be extremely tough.

After all, the Brooklyn Nets might have a few lone wolves, but the Long Island Nets are a pack of lone wolves...

One last point I want to make is, why do we love basketball and sports?

Everyone understands the essence of competitive sports and its harsh rules.

Survival of the fittest and winner takes all are eternal truths in the world of competitive sports.

Without needing to look or think, there are surely many who feel sorry for Zeng and blame the Nets on current platforms.

From the perspective of Chinese fans, that is neither right nor wrong.

However, whether we pay attention or not, watch or not, no matter how much we complain, it doesn’t affect the Nets’ profits.

In the ruthless, highly commercialized NBA world, fan sentiment is the least valuable commodity.

In this noisy era of attention-seeking, for Zeng Fanbo, whether returning to the CBA or playing in other leagues or teams, what is the best response?

It must be to let his performance speak.

As fans, let’s set a small goal for him: if he returns to Beijing Shougang, average 22 points per game...