Zhou Qi, starting center of the Chinese national basketball team, joined the South East Melbourne Phoenix of the National Basketball League (NBL) in Australia, confirmed both the team and the player himself on Wednesday.

"I'm glad to join the South East Melbourne Phoenix in the NBL. They are a promising team full of youthful spirit. I want to thank CEO and general manager Tommy Greer and the front office for their sincerity and approval. I'm looking forward to working with head coach Simon Mitchell and his staff. My gratitude also goes to the other teams that invited me to join," posted Zhou on Sina Weibo.

"We've signed 7'1 Chinese star and former Houston Rocket, Zhou Qi (@officialzhouqi) to a two-year contract!" Tweeted the Phoenix.

Zhou signed a 1+1 contract with the team and can opt out of the deal in 2022. He will also be able to play for China in the FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers in late November. Zhou's teammate Liu Chuanxing already signed with the Brisbane Bullets earlier. The "China Derby" between the two will definitely draw a lot of attention.

The NBL is the top basketball league in Australia. LaMelo Ball played for the Illawarra Hawks in the 2019-20 season and was named the NBL Rookie of the Year before getting drafted by the NBA's Charlotte Hornets with the third-overall pick in 2020. Ball then received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award after his debut season.

Another promising young man who left the NBL for the NBA in recent years was Josh Giddey who played for the Adelaide 36ers and won the Rookie of the Year Award as well before being selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the sixth-overall pick on July 29.

Zhou was not a rookie like either of the above. He played two years in the NBA (and the NBA G-League) for the Houston Rockets (and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers) between 2017 and 2019. In his longer CBA career, Zhou was already a top 3 player in the Chinese league after winning one championship and three CBA Vest Defender trophies as the franchise player of the Xinjiang Flying Tigers.

Zhou rejected contract extension offer from the Flying Tigers this summer. But according to CBA rules, he can't join any other CBA team unless the Flying Tigers agree to let him go. He withdrew from the 2021-22 CBA season in late August.

Zhou will have a lot to learn in the NBL and one of them is to put on more muscles. As a 2.18-meter-tall blocking monster, Zhou weights less than 100 kilograms. That weakness puts him in a disadvantageous position tussling with opponents who are shorter but stronger than him in the paint. The NBL is home to many players of the Australian national team which have been known for their strong bodies, physical games and smart plays.

"In the new season, I will grasp this opportunity to improve my game and refine myself in an all-round way to make progress in the NBL. I want to use what I learn here for my future games. It has always been my goal to make better contributions to the Chinese national team. I sincerely thank the Phoenix for their approval and the Chinese Basketball Association for their help and support," wrote Zhou on Sina Weibo.