Zhou Qi
No. 9 – Xinjiang Flying Tigers | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Position | Center | ||||||||||||||||||||
League | CBA | ||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Xinxiang, China | January 16, 1996||||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | China | ||||||||||||||||||||
Listed height | 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 210 lb (95 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||
NBA draft | 2016: 2nd round, 46th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||||
Selected by the Houston Rockets | |||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career | 2014–present | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||
2014–2017 | Xinjiang Flying Tigers | ||||||||||||||||||||
2017–2018 | Houston Rockets | ||||||||||||||||||||
2017–2018 | →Rio Grande Valley Vipers | ||||||||||||||||||||
2019- | Xinjiang Flying Tigers | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stats at NBA.com | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stats at Basketball Reference | |||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Zhou Qi (Chinese: 周琦; pinyin: Zhōu Qí [ʈʂóʊ tɕʰǐ]; born January 16, 1996) is a Chinese professional basketball player who plays for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He has also played as a Center (basketball) for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was then waived by Houston Rockets on December 17, 2018 and signed with Xinjiang Flying Tigers on August 13, 2019.
Early career
Zhou Qi attended Fuxin Basketball School from 2005 in Fuxin, Liaoning, China.
Zhou first began appearing on scouting reports when he guided China to an unlikely youth team title in Turkey at the TBF International Under-16 Tournament in 2011. At age fifteen, Zhou put up 41 points, 28 rebounds, and 15 blocks in China's semifinal win over Germany, and then went for 30 points, 17 rebounds, and 8 blocks in the final against the host nation. A year later at the 2012 Albert Schweitzer Tournament, a traditional testing ground for the best teenage players in international basketball, Zhou reinforced his reputation as one to watch by averaging 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.2 blocks in 28.2 minutes per game.[1]
In January 2014, Zhou left his boyhood team, the Liaoning Jaguars, to join the Xinjiang Flying Tigers. However, he was unable to play for Xinjiang until the 2014–15 season due to being underaged. [1]
Professional career
Xinjiang Flying Tigers (2014–2017)
Although there were rumors that several U.S. college teams were courting him, the teenager decided to stay in China, and his move to the cash-flush Xinjiang team caused a firestorm of speculation within the local media. Initially, it was claimed Zhou had accepted a three-year, $744,000 deal that would have made him better paid than most of the Tigers' roster at the time, and the club was forced to publicly deny those stories.[1]
In 2015–16, Xinjiang lost in the semifinals of the CBA playoffs. Zhou led the CBA in blocked shots in each of his first two seasons at 3.3 and 3.2 per game, respectively, while shooting 65 percent from two-point range in 73 total games.[2]
In June 2016, Zhou reached an agreement with Xinjiang that would allow him to buy out his contract and join the NBA in 2017. After much back and forth, Zhou's representation in China and the U.S. secured a buyout that would allow him out of his contract at the conclusion of the 2016–17 season for the maximum league mandated amount permitted, which is $675,000.[2]
In 2016–17, Zhou averaged 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds while shooting 58.6% from the floor. He also ranked second in the CBA in blocks (2.3 bpg) and was named Defensive Player of the Year. Zhou hit 20 3-pointers in 2016–17 after having 10 his first two seasons combined. He also helped Xinjiang win its first championship in 2016–17.[3]
Houston Rockets (2017–2019)
After his second season with Xinjiang, Zhou declared for the 2016 NBA draft. He had the longest wingspan during the 2016 NBA Draft Combine at 7'7¾" (2.33 m).[2][4] On June 23, 2016, he was selected with the 43rd overall pick by the Houston Rockets.[5]
On July 6, 2017, Zhou signed with the Houston Rockets.[3] He made his NBA debut on October 21, 2017, playing eight minutes in the fourth quarter of the Rockets' 107–91 win over the Dallas Mavericks, posting three rebounds and one block.[6] On November 1, 2017, Zhou scored his first NBA points, finishing with three points against the New York Knicks.[7] During his rookie season, Zhou has had multiple assignments to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League.[8]
On December 17, 2018, the Houston Rockets waived Zhou Qi.[9]
Xinjiang Flying Tigers (2019-present)
On August 13, 2019, Zhou Qi returned to Xinjiang Flying Tigers.[10]
National team career
Zhou made his debut with the senior Chinese national team during the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. He returned for the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship in Changsha, China, where he helped China win the championship with a win over the Philippines in the final. Zhou had 16 points and 14 rebounds in the championship game.[11] He was subsequently named to the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship All-Star Five.[12] Zhou later competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics with the Chinese national team.
Career statistics
NBA
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular season
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017–18 | Houston | 18 | 0 | 6.9 | .188 | .105 | .667 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 1.2 |
2018–19 | Houston | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.00 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
Career | 19 | 0 | 6.6 | .212 | .105 | .667 | 1.2 | .1 | .1 | .7 | 1.3 |
Playoffs
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Houston | 3 | 0 | 2.0 | 1.000 | - | - | .3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .7 |
Career | 3 | 0 | 2.0 | 1.000 | - | - | .3 | .0 | .0 | .0 | .7 |
References
- ^ a b c Crawford, Andrew (January 7, 2014). "Zhou Qi forgoes U.S. to join Xinjiang Tigers". oneworldsports.com. Archived from the original on 18 July 2014.
- ^ a b c Givony, Jonathan (June 10, 2016). "Potential Chinese sensation reaches buyout agreement". Yahoo.com. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- ^ a b "Rockets Sign Zhou Qi". NBA.com. July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- ^ Casciaro, Joseph (May 12, 2016). "Zhou Qi's insane wingspan steals spotlight at draft combine". theScore.com. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ "Rockets Select Chinanu Onuaku and Zhou Qi in 2016 NBA Draft". NBA.com. June 24, 2016. Retrieved August 14, 2016.
- ^ "James Harden leads Rockets past Mavericks, 107-91". ESPN.com. October 21, 2017. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ "Zhou Qi 2017-18 Game Log". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ "2017-18 NBA Assignments". NBA.com. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
- ^ "Rockets Waive Zhou Qi". NBA.com. December 17, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- ^ "Chinese center Zhou Qi returns to Xinjiang Flying Tigers". cgtn.com. August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
- ^ "China vs Philippines". FIBA.com. October 3, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
- ^ "Yi Jianlian named 2015 FIBA Asia Championship MVP, headlines All-Star Five". FIBA.com. October 3, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
External links
- Career statistics from NBA.com and Basketball Reference
- NBA Draft profile
- DraftExpress profile
- 1996 births
- Living people
- Basketball players at the 2014 Asian Games
- Basketball players at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Basketball players at the 2018 Asian Games
- Basketball players from Henan
- Centers (basketball)
- Chinese expatriate basketball people in the United States
- Chinese men's basketball players
- Houston Rockets draft picks
- Houston Rockets players
- National Basketball Association players from China
- Olympic basketball players of China
- People from Xinxiang
- Rio Grande Valley Vipers players
- Xinjiang Flying Tigers players
- Asian Games gold medalists for China
- Asian Games medalists in basketball
- Medalists at the 2018 Asian Games
- 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup players