From Fringeman to NBA Trial: Lin Wei’s Way to Get Out of the Cocoon

This Fujian boy who was once turned away by the national team is now standing in the spotlight of the NBA, rewriting the script of the fate of the Chinese defender with a precise three-pointer. While scouts were still questioning his height of 1.91 meters, he used his super-god performance of 30 shots on the training ground to make the label of "low-fitting Curry" go from teasing to expectation.

1. Exiled genius: From the national team's cold palace to the overseas counterattack

On the bench of Nanjing Tongxi, Lin Wei was once the most inconspicuous marginal person in the CBA. This guard from Fujian Youth Team was marginalized by the team in his early years because of "too slow to realize his talent", until Xirelijiang pushed him to the core position. In the 2024-25 season, his average of 21 points and 5 assists per game shocked the league, but he suffered a Waterloo in the national team - the rumors that he was suspected of contradicting Guo Shiqiang on the training ground made him labeled "defensive loopholes" and even failed to enter the training roster.

This controversy inspires his fighting spirit. After signing with LIFT Sports, he started hell-style special training: four hours of defensive cross-traffic training every day, the coach uses a sponge stick to simulate opponents' breakthroughs, and if he slacked off, he would be punished; the nutritionist asked him to gain weight to 195 pounds to deal with NBA-level confrontation. This nearly self-abuse training allowed him to shine on Pro Day - three-pointers in the corner, top-up catch, and emergency stop jump shots, with a shooting percentage of up to 100%.

2. Ice and fire tempering: The speed of life and death on the European battlefield

European training camp became his touchstone. In the first game, he made only 3 of 13 shots and 1 of 7 three-pointers, which was criticized by fans for "ineffective special training"; but in the third day of the game, he scored 19 points on 7 of 18 shots, showing a balance between scoring explosiveness and organizational ability. This ups and downs exposed his true level: the upper limit is extremely high, but the stability is insufficient. The scout report ruthlessly pointed out that his lateral movement speed was 15% in the same position and was often lost when playing pick-and-roll defense.

The scene of the National Games qualifying match was even more heart-wrenching: Beijing team defender Li Yongwei defended closely, resulting in him making 4 of 14 shots, and the sweaty jersey in the locker room after the game became a microcosm of the defensive shortcomings. The national team coach Guo Shiqiang's words came to the nail on the head: "The international arena cannot accommodate defensive loopholes." But Lin Wei did not give up. He tried his best in every game in Europe, and even if he was knocked down, he would get up and return to defense as soon as possible. This kind of resilience won the respect of scouts.

3. Mavericks' abacus: The Mavericks who hold the No. 1 pick will obviously not use the first round of picks to bet on a Chinese defender. What they value more is the market potential and tactical possibilities behind Lin Wei. When inspecting Ding Yanyuhang in 2017, the Mavericks successfully opened up the Chinese market through "Trial Economy". Now this strategy has worked again - The news of Lin Wei's trial training has sparked heated discussions on domestic social media, and the number of related topics has exceeded 500 million times.

Tactical level, the Mavericks need a shooter who can play without the ball. Lin Wei averaged 2.8 three-point shooting per game (34.9% shooting percentage in the regular season), which meets the team's needs. More importantly, the big heart he showed in the playoffs - two 30+10 performances, proved his ability to withstand stress. If this state can be continued in the summer league, it is not impossible to sign a two-way contract. But the competition is extremely fierce, and in this week's trial, he will face seven or eight contenders, including former NBA player Dennis Smith.

4. The temptation of NBL: Another way to break through

There is another way in front of Lin Wei - Australia NBL. The Perth Wildcats have extended an olive branch to him. This team, which is good at running and shooting tactics, averages more than 30 three-pointers per game, perfectly adapts to Lin Wei's technical characteristics. Zhou Qi’s successful cases in the Phoenix team prove that the NBL can not only improve its confrontational ability, but also maintain its game state. The agency team has listed NBL as an alternative in the discussion at the Los Angeles Cafe. Compared to staying in the CBA as a "land bully", this choice is more conducive to career development.