8+7! A major debut in La Liga! The future core interior player of China’s men’s basketball team

Yu Jiahao completed his first appearance for Alega Cantabria in the Spanish league, logging around 20 minutes, hitting 3 out of 5 shots, making 1 of 4 free throws, tallying 7 points and 8 rebounds, with a -5 plus-minus, while the team fell 73-90 to the parent club Bilbao.

During this summer’s offseason, Yu Jiahao decisively gave up a high salary in China to play overseas; he confirmed rumors of a monthly salary of only 2000 euros, but the club provides him with medical coverage, housing, and transportation support.

In the recently concluded Asian Cup, Yu Jiahao served as the main backup center, averaging 7.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game with a shooting percentage of 45.5%. Though his performance was below expectations and drew criticism, he is only 22 years old and currently gaining experience in a high-level league, so it is believed he will eventually live up to the high hopes placed on him.

For China’s men’s basketball team, the focus is more on Yu Jiahao’s future development, hoping he can build a new interior defensive wall alongside Yang Hansen, provided he meets these expectations — especially since younger talent Xun Sinan (born in 2007) is closely watching.

To introduce Yu Jiahao further: born on March 18, 2003, standing 2.21 meters tall with a wingspan of 2.26 meters, he attended Serrano Canyon High School and was teammates with Lakers player Bronny. Early in his career, he was dubbed “the next Yao Ming.”

Starting in 2021, Yu Jiahao joined Zhejiang to compete in the CBA, officially beginning his professional career. He has played four consecutive seasons, scoring in double digits on average each year, and has helped the team reach the playoffs four years in a row. In 2023, they reached the finals but were swept 4-0 by Liaoning, missing out on the championship.

In the 2024-25 season, Yu Jiahao appeared in 42 regular-season games, starting 34 times, averaging 30 minutes, 13.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, with a shooting accuracy of 62%. In the playoffs, he averaged 17.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1 assist, shooting 63.3%.

This player possesses a comprehensive inside scoring skill set and has recently developed a mid-to-long range shot. However, his physical strength and finishing touch still need significant improvement, and his slow mobility is often exploited by opponents... Overall, his weaknesses currently outweigh his strengths, and he must push himself to improve.