On May 12, Beijing time, in the CBA playoffs’ Beijing-Guangdong series, Guangdong fell to Beijing on the road, losing the best-of-three series 1-2 and failing to advance to the semifinals.
Thus, the 25-26 season officially ended for the Guangdong Southern Tigers. From the acquisition of Cui Yongxi and Jiao Boqiao at the start of the season, to the signings of foreign players like Jared Sullinger and Sampson, the team struggled to gel in the second phase, dropping out of the top four. The first playoff game at home was also a loss. While there were plenty of storylines, the foreign player combination turned out to be the biggest flaw and disappointment.
**Poor Foreign Player Choices Prove Fatal**
For Guangdong, the preseason additions of Jiao Boqiao and Cui Yongxi led General Manager Zhu Fangyu to boldly set a championship goal. However, as the league progressed, the selection of foreign players became a critical failure.
Head coach Du Feng gave McCall ample time to recover from injury during the entire first phase and worked hard to integrate him in the second phase, but results were unsatisfactory. McCall lacked elite individual scoring ability.
After Sampson’s injury, Guangdong was forced to rely on the duo of Quinn and McCall. Their roles overlapped significantly, and neither could sustain solo scoring bursts.
From the second phase onward, reports surfaced of Zhu Fangyu pursuing a big man, but it wasn’t until late in the regular season that they signed Rakocevic, who was considered average. Many fans were unhappy, as the big foreigner didn’t elevate Guangdong to title contention.
Compared to last season’s three smalls and one big, this season’s long stretch of three smalls and one big, and eventually two bigs and two smalls, Guangdong’s final foreign player lineup was below the average level of other playoff contenders.
**Du Feng Falls in Quarterfinals Again**
When Du Feng returned to Guangdong from the national team in the 18-19 season, he led the team to three consecutive championships, becoming a legendary coach. But with the retirement of Yi Jianlian, Su Wei, and the decline of Marbury and Weems, Du Feng’s playoff results have steadily declined.
– 18-19, 19-20, 20-21: Three consecutive titles.
– 21-22: Lost 0-3 to Liaoning in the semifinals, finishing fourth.
– 22-23: Lost to Guangsha in the quarterfinals, ending a 20-year streak of top-four finishes.
– 23-24: Lost 1-3 to Liaoning in the semifinals.
– 24-25: Swept 0-3 by Shanxi in the quarterfinals.
– 25-26: Lost 1-2 to Beijing in the quarterfinals.
**Guangdong Faces Roster Decisions in Offseason**
This summer, Wang Shaojie’s loan deal expires, and his return to Beijing Royal Fighters is uncertain.
Jiao Boqiao’s integration into the team hasn’t been smooth, and his future will be evaluated.
Du Runwang, Zhang Wenyi, Li Wenhao, Huang Mingyi, and others will see their contracts expire, making their extensions a key focus.
Among the four foreign players, only Quinn has truly fit in. Zhu Fangyu and Du Feng must decide which ones remain in the team’s plans for next season.