China star Cui hails Hong Kong baller’s spirit, says pair’s training got him NBA ready
Cui Yongxi spent time working out over the summer with Oliver Xu, says all Chinese players should emulate Hongkonger’s drive to be better
China’s basketball players could all reach a higher level if they had the drive of one Hong Kong baller, the country’s newest addition to the NBA has told the Post.
Jacky Cui Yongxi, who joined the Brooklyn Nets on a two-way, two-year contract last week, spent time working on his defence with Oliver Xu earlier over the summer and was full of praise for the Hongkonger’s attitude.
In an interview at the time, Xu said he worked out with Cui after the 21-year-old “reached out to me about defence”, and the two trained in New York before the former Chinese Basketball Association rookie of the year headed to Portland for the NBA Summer League.
“Oliver is also a player who strives to reach his upper limit through his own efforts,” said Guangxi native Cui, who was born in Yulin and grew up in Nanning.
“If all Chinese professional players could possess his spirit, then all the players, including those from Hong Kong, could reach a higher level.”
Xu said he believed Cui had all the physical attributes to be a great player, but more importantly had “the mindset and work ethic to keep getting better”.
