In the Chinese basketball world, the growth trajectory of every player is full of uncertainties and challenges, and Qi Lin's story is an inspirational chapter. After three years of waiting and unremitting efforts, the Xinjiang team's new star has finally received a call-up from the national team to participate in the training camp to prepare for the Asian Cup qualifiers. This moment, for Qi Lin, is not only a milestone in his career, but also a vivid proof that he continues to challenge himself and surpass his limits.
Looking back at Qi Lin's performance in the CBA this season, he proved his strength with excellent statistics and on-court influence. He played 37 games, averaging 35 per game2 minutes, contribution 183 points, 3 rebounds and 15 assists. In particular, his shooting efficiency reached 55% from two-point range and 41% from three-point range, all of which set career highs. Such a performance undoubtedly shows Qi Lin's all-round ability and competitive state as a top local small forward.
The outstanding performance of the Xinjiang team this season is inseparable from the forward combination of Abdul Salamu and Qi Lin. The successful transformation of Abdul Salamu has allowed Qi Lin to have more room to play in the small forward position, and the tacit cooperation between the two on the court has made the opponent feel more pressure when defending. Qi Lin's outstanding performance is one of the key factors for the Xinjiang team to maintain its leading position in the standings.
However, Qi Lin's basketball path was not all smooth sailing. As a player born in '99, Qi Lin has outstanding athleticism and offensive skills with the ball, and his three-point shooting is even more accurate and deadly. Despite this, he has not been able to get a call-up to the national team for a long time, and compared with the players of the same period, whether it is Zhang Zhenlin or rising stars Choi Yongxi and Zeng Fanbo, Qi Lin always seems to be in a relatively marginal position.
Injuries have been a major obstacle in Qi Lin's career. In 2021, when national team coach Du Feng tried to recruit him many times, Qi Lin was unable to participate in the training camp due to injury. And in 2022, when the national team was facing preparations for important events, Qi Lin's performance fluctuated, which also made him miss the opportunity to represent the national team. During this time, Qi Lin's name was also mentioned in discussions about the atmosphere in the team and the training attitude of individual players, which undoubtedly added more challenges to his career.
Despite all the difficulties, Qi Lin did not give up. Through continuous hard work and improvement, he gradually found his best form and proved his worth in the new season with excellent performances. Now, Qi Lin has finally waited for the long-lost national team call-up, which is not only a recognition of his personal ability, but also an affirmation of his indomitable spirit.
In the upcoming Asian Cup qualifiers, Qi Lin's challenges are still huge. The national team's forward line is highly competitive, and every position brings together the country's top basketball talent. Whether Qi Lin can show enough strength and determination in training to seize this rare opportunity will be another important test of his career. We look forward to Qi Lin continuing to write his own glorious chapter on the journey of the national team and contribute to Chinese basketball.