Hong Kong basketballers Oliver Xu and Ma Kong-san drafted into CBA league

Hong Kong basketball players Oliver Xu and Ma Kong-san were selected in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) draft, becoming the seventh and eighth players from Hong Kong to enter the league.

Oliver Xu, a 29-year-old guard standing at 6ft 2in (1.90m), was chosen by the Nanjing Monkey Kings with the 9th overall pick in the first round. Xu had joined Japan's B League 3 Iwate Big Bulls earlier in the year, averaging 10.6 minutes, 4.0 points, and 1.6 rebounds in 26 matches. He participated in the Drew League in Los Angeles during July and did not return to Qingdao for the draft event.

Ma Kong-san, a 24-year-old center standing at 6ft 8in, was selected by the Sichuan Blue Whales with the 22nd overall pick in the second round. Ma, who has previously played professionally in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, spent the last two seasons with the Hong Kong A1 Division's Shung Tak Eagles. He was present at the Guoxin Gymnasium for the draft and put on a Sichuan cap on stage after being selected. Nanjing finished 12th and Sichuan finished 19th in the 20-team league last season.