The wife of Wu Qian, a star guard for the Zhejiang Lions, recently voiced her frustration on social media, hinting at tensions between the player and the club. Her comments came after Zhejiang was swept by the Shenzhen Leopards in the quarterfinals, following a 2-0 series victory over the Ningbo Rockets in the play-in round.
Wu Qian, a veteran who has spent his entire 14-season CBA career with Zhejiang, saw a sharp decline in performance this season. In 41 regular-season games, he averaged just 6.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists over 20.5 minutes per game, with shooting percentages of 31.8% from the field and 29.4% from three-point range. During the playoffs, his struggles continued—going 1-for-6 and 1-for-5 against Ningbo—and he was eventually benched for the series against Shenzhen. At 31, Wu appears to be nearing the end of his peak years.
Wu’s wife posted: “Respect, always respect, and hope to be respected too, huh. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not being sarcastic; I’m just questioning. If you force me to reveal internal matters, I won’t hold back. I’ve been very restrained. I understand playing less when you’re performing poorly, but being completely left out is ridiculous.” This strongly suggests a rift between Wu and the club’s management.
Despite his recent struggles, Wu is a club legend. In his prime, he averaged over 20 points per game, led Zhejiang to the regular-season title, guided them to the CBA Finals, and won the league MVP in the 2020-21 season. However, the team’s ceiling was limited, and they have regressed since then. Now, the Lions are building around younger guards Cheng Shuaipeng and Li Yuezhao, with the possibility of Yu Jiahao returning next season. Veterans like Wu, Liu Zeyi, and Lu Wenbo, as well as the departed Wang Yibo, are seen as having limited upside.
Wu’s max contract has expired, and with the public spat, speculation is growing about whether he will leave the only team he has ever played for. The situation adds another layer of uncertainty to Zhejiang’s offseason plans.
