Undrafted Chinese basketball prospect Cui Yongxi is taking his talents to the NBA! The 21-year-old has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, his agency announced Friday, following his unselected status in the 2024 NBA Draft. While not the fairy-tale draft night many hoped for, this deal keeps Cui’s NBA dreams alive—and could pave the way for a *major* glow-up.
What’s an Exhibit 10 contract? Think of it as a golden ticket to prove yourself: It’s a one-year, minimum-salary agreement that lets teams convert it into a two-way contract before the season starts. If waived, Cui could join Portland’s G League affiliate, keeping him in the development pipeline.
Cui trained with six NBA teams pre-draft—including the Nets, Knicks, and Grizzlies—and will now ball out in the Las Vegas Summer League starting July 12. In an interview with Tencent Sports, he reflected on his U.S. experience: \"I’ve soaked up new training methods, playing styles, and even how they handle nutrition,\" he said, adding that competing against U.S. players helped him \"match their pace.\"
But Cui also highlighted a gap in youth development systems: \"Kids here start professional training as early as 8 or 9 years old with expert coaches,\" he noted, suggesting China’s system could benefit from similar infrastructure. vs. basketball culture? We’re here for this convo.
Will Cui become China’s next NBA star after Yao Ming? The Summer League will be his first big test. #UnderdogEnergy
NewspaperAmigo – Your Global News Buddy 
The 21-year-old has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Portland Trail Blazers, his agency announced Friday, following his unselected status in the 2024 NBA Draft. While not the fairy-tale draft night many hoped for, this deal keeps Cui’s NBA dreams alive—and could pave the way for a *major* glow-up. 
to prove yourself: It’s a one-year, minimum-salary agreement that lets teams convert it into a two-way contract before the season starts. If waived, Cui could join Portland’s G League affiliate, keeping him in the development pipeline.
in the Las Vegas Summer League starting July 12. In an interview with Tencent Sports, he reflected on his U.S. experience: \"I’ve soaked up new training methods, playing styles, and even how they handle nutrition,\" he said, adding that competing against U.S. players helped him \"match their pace.\"
vs. 
basketball culture? We’re here for this convo. 
#UnderdogEnergy
