The Arrival of Jiang Shen

**Latest News from the Grizzlies Official Website:**

"Undrafted rookie Jiang Lin from China has signed a two-year rookie contract with the team. Welcome JIANG to the team!"

**Memphis Daily** thoughtfully used a Chinese headline: "Jiang Lin Arrives! The Answer to the Grizzlies' Offense!"

Following this, Grizzlies players Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol, and Zach Randolph retweeted the news on Twitter to confirm it.

They welcomed the new team member, especially Tony Allen, who posted 50 exclamation points to express his excitement.

This sparked discussions among fans and analysts, as it was rare for team stars to welcome a rookie with such enthusiasm. Had they already practiced together?

In fact, they had witnessed Jiang Lin's entire tryout process, which is why they endorsed the rookie so strongly.

A single stone caused a thousand ripples.

Even Woj hadn't picked up on this move, highlighting how low-key Jiang Lin's signing had been.

Low-key didn't mean unnoticed. Following the Grizzlies' announcement, the internet was abuzz with shock.

Recently cut by the Lakers, Jiang Lin had landed a guaranteed contract so quickly?

Reddit lit up with discussions:

**Dark Chocolate:** "What's going on? Jiang Lin is joining my Grizzlies? There was no prior news!"

**Memphis Needs a King:** "Right, I thought the Mavs and Rockets wanted him. How did he suddenly get a rookie contract with the Grizzlies?"

**Bear King:** "Pera does things this way. The Grizzlies make moves every year; you just don't follow them closely."

**A Seventy-Year-Old Fan:** "I've seen his highlights. Too flashy, not a typical Grizzly!"

But most comments suggested the Grizzlies might be tanking this year.

"Hey, with six straight losses, are they tanking for Bennett or Oladipo?"

"The Grizzlies are terrible this year. Is this Asian guy here to back up Conley and help with the tanking?"

"Right, what use is he? Doesn't fit the Grizzlies' defensive system."

"The Lakers let him go, so he must have flaws."

"Hey, hey, don't talk up your Lakers. If not for Kobe's 39 points last night, you would have lost."

"Right, we have Kobe, we're proud. So what!"

"Maybe this contract is to tap into the Chinese market?? Does it work? Yi played well for the Bucks, but there weren't many Chinese people in Milwaukee."

"That's because he wasn't a big enough draw. If it were someone like Yao, you'd see Chinese fans going crazy to watch! And this is a guard!"

"What's the use? At most, he'll play seven or eight minutes a game as a transition."

"True, Chinese players are usually better in the paint."

"Be bold… What if they don't care about his defense and just want his offense?"

"No way? Really? His offense is pretty sharp."

"Didn't Shaq analyze it? He's just a streetball kid, only good at dribbling, too one-dimensional. In a 5v5 game, if he keeps choosing to drive, this Asian guy will get blocked."

**User with a Lakers Avatar:** "Trash signing!! An undrafted player no one wanted, and my Grizzlies signed him?? I object!"

"Upstairs, you're an idiot."

"We have a traitor in the Grizzlies' community? Don't get embarrassed, your Lakers will regret it!"

"Yeah, you guys are criticizing a Chinese player so harshly. What if he's the next Linsanity?"

"The Grizzlies play the Bulls tomorrow. I wonder if he'll play. As long as he performs like he did in his last game with the Lakers, it's worth it!" A Grizzlies fan, resigned to the situation, felt that an undrafted player with any contribution was acceptable.

The international response was mixed, but in China, it was a different story.

**Sina Sports:** "Breaking News! Chinese Player Jiang Lin Secures Guaranteed Contract! Signs with the Grizzlies!"

**Hupu:** "Grizzlies No. 20, China's JIANG!! Details of the contract to be reported later!"

**Weibo Hot Search No. 1** was "Jiang Lin Signs with the Grizzlies" with over 2 million hits. The fifth was "Lakers' Discard, Chinese Player Who Shook LeBron Finds New Home."

In this era, the NBA was incredibly popular. East LeBron, West Kobe, and a Chinese player making his mark in the NBA was thrilling for all fans!

Nearly all Chinese fans expressed their best wishes for him.

"Awesome!! A talent from our capital finally making it in the NBA!"

"This is just the first step. Keep going, and make a name for yourself!"

"Lakers didn't want him, but he's still fighting in the NBA. This is what a top sports talent from Peking University is!"

Jiang Lin was admitted to the sports department of Peking University and was on a leave of absence due to CBA and NBA commitments. The school supported him pursuing his professional career at this precious age!

"Thirty years east, thirty years west. Don't underestimate the young! Lakers are despicable. With Jiang Lin's character, he'll definitely seek revenge when he plays against them!"

"Go Jiang Lin!"

"Jiang Shen will descend!"

"The Grizzlies aren't bad. With so many good players, if Jiang Lin practices his three-pointers and becomes a perimeter shooter, he'll definitely have a chance!"

"Yeah, just because Sun Yue didn't make it doesn't mean Jiang Lin can't. Being noticed by the NBA means he's a top talent!"

"Exactly! The first Chinese guard in the NBA, Sun Yue, got a championship ring, but he didn't secure a guaranteed contract through his own tryout!"

"Just support him!! This year he gains experience, next year he's a regular rotation player, and the year after that, a starter. By 25, he'll make the All-Star team! Sweet!"

"Haha, someone's already planning his career path."

At this moment, **Basketball Pioneer**'s editor-in-chief and famous commentator Su Qun wrote a long article that was shared 4,000 times and had 12,000 comments. In an era when people still read diligently, many learned about the 20-year-old Jiang Lin and his journey.

The article's title was: "Understanding Jiang Lin: A Dreamer Who Never Stops!"

This significantly boosted Jiang Lin's popularity, helping many understand the Chinese young man chasing his NBA dream!

"No more talk, I'm subscribing to Grizzlies video membership. I'll watch every game from now on!!"