G League Elite Camp attendee Yongxi ‘Jacky’ Cui has followed an interesting development pathway leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft. He aims to become the first Chinese prospect drafted since Zhou Qi and Wang Zhelin in 2016. Cui just completed his second season in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), where he posted averages of 15.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.5 spg on 46.1 FG% and 36.5 3P%.
Before joining the CBA and becoming one of China’s top prospects, he attended the NBA Global Academy in Australia. Chris Ebersole, the Head of International Basketball Development at the NBA, worked directly with Jacky Cui during his time in Australia. He shared his experience coaching and working with Cui with HoopsHype.
“He was really, truly like cracking jokes,” Ebersole said about Cui’s personality. “I just thought he was so impressive, willing to make mistakes and take risks. Everybody, from our staff to all his teammates, thinks so highly of him because of that.”
Ebersole emphasized that Cui has always prioritized making the right play but now understands his skill level and realizes that to impact winning, he needs to focus on expanding his offensive game.
“He’s got really good feet and plays super hard,” Ebersole said about Cui’s best skill being defense. “Those ingredients, for both on-ball defense and off-ball positioning, serve him well.”
WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images
Yongxi Cui: Yeah, I feel very excited having played against players of the same age who have the best skills and physical abilities. Physical games have helped me improve a lot in the game.
YC: I don’t feel any different now because I’m focused on doing my job. I’ve been handling the defensive duties in the CBA league, so I’m focusing on my role and tried to perform well in both the first and second games.
YC: My strongest skill is defense because, in my life, I can’t let everyone beat me. I go into a focused, mental state. So, I can’t let a player beat me every time and score on me. Defense is my job.
YC: I watch Kawhi Leonard for his defense and previously, I always watched Kobe Bryant. I watch all his games every day and all the highlights. He is one of the best players to me.
YC: I hope I can play here. If I can, I will stay and play to show what I can do.
Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images
YC: I was training in Australia for about two years, and then an opportunity came up for college. I turned down the offer and came back to play in the CBA, all while still working hard because I know my goal is to achieve the things I believe in.
YC: My game has changed from before. I feel like I’m back to playing as I did in my first year. Over the years, I’ve become more of a shooter. My coaches let me play, and right now, although there may be some struggles, I’m just focused on doing my best and being really good.
YC: Playing against grown men feels different and weird because as a regular player, you face less ball pressure. It’s like nothing depends on you. But if you’re like them, when they’re growing, even just a year later, they’ll watch your videos and see that a lot depends on and for you.
YC: When I came back to China because of all the COVID stuff.
YC: I feel more comfortable as a shooting guard. Not because it’s not a good size to play like this on the court, for me, you know, in America. When I played at 13 and 15 years old, I could pass, drive, and do anything. But then I grew two years later and I discussed my height with my coach. Playing this role was challenging because we have only one guard on the team. So, I needed to focus much on defense every night. However, in the second year, I need to do more to help the guard.
YC: On the court, everyone’s goal is to score. It’s like you can’t do anything else. But defense is often seen as a dirty word; many players don’t want to focus on it. However, if you’re able to play good defense, especially on the NBA stage, it must be something special for you.
YC: When you do something, you want to reach a higher stage and compete to get better every time. It’s not just about enjoying and being happy.
You just can’t settle anymore. Someone has to strive for more because my idol is Kobe, and Kobe always wanted to be better and the best player in the world. So, I think I learned from him in that aspect.
YC: As I play basketball, it’s not just about competing against others in the league. You have guys with high talent levels. Being Asian, it’s challenging to compete in those areas because they all have strong bodies and talents. It’s harder for us, so we need to utilize our skills on the court. I can relate to that and understand the struggle.
YC: I think my favorite memory is from last year when I represented China in the World Cup. That was a cool experience because when I first stepped on the court to play against Serbia, I felt like all the Chinese players were younger and lacked experience compared to me. It was an honor for me to represent my country.
YC: Yeah, I would, because I think the key is to progress step by step, which helps me grow in all aspects. With my body and experience, I can continue to grow, improve, and eventually play in the NBA. That’s always been a goal of mine.
YC: I’m confident in my abilities. Being the only Asian, I can be a good teammate because I have qualities to contribute. I believe I can improve and reach the NBA level someday.
