Before arriving in Sacramento, Abudushalamu Abudurexiti had just wrapped up two FIBA World Cup qualifying games with China’s national team. According to his agent, he didn’t go through a formal workout with the Golden State Warriors but was directly selected into their NBA Summer League roster. Head coach Willie Green explained that the team’s scouts were impressed by Abdusalam’s size, versatility, and all-around skills, making him a valuable addition to the squad.
The young forward from Xinjiang is expected to play multiple positions, and the coaching staff is eager to see how he performs against NBA-level competition. Although he wasn’t available for today’s game, Abdusalam will still be featured in a Tencent-ESPN interview during the live broadcast, encouraging fans to stay tuned through Tencent Sports.
Despite China’s back-to-back losses in the qualifiers, Abdusalam stood out with an impressive individual performance—racking up 38 points and 22 rebounds over two games, including a dominant 23-point, 12-rebound effort against New Zealand. However, even hot form can’t fully overcome the fatigue of constant travel. In less than a week, the Chinese national team flew from Shenzhen to New Zealand and then across the Pacific to Las Vegas. Abdusalam departed from the team upon their arrival in Las Vegas and flew directly to California to join the Warriors.
He told Tencent-ESPN that he’s currently feeling a bit exhausted. The Warriors are in Sacramento for a four-team mini summer league series, playing three games in three days before heading to Las Vegas for the NBA’s main Summer League event, which features all 30 teams. Abdusalam has already missed the first game in Sacramento and will sit out the second as well. Still, Cricket Exchange reports that Warriors Summer League head coach Willie Green confirmed he will make his debut against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.
Abdusalam has officially joined the Warriors in California’s capital city of Sacramento and is preparing for his NBA Summer League debut. Due to routine physical evaluations and travel fatigue, he won’t participate in the upcoming game against the Sacramento Kings. His highly anticipated debut is scheduled for July 6 at 3:00 a.m. Beijing time when the Warriors take on the Lakers.
Even though he’s had little time to rest, Abdusalam is full of anticipation and excitement. The journey may have been long and tiring, but as the saying goes, hard work pays off—and he’s ready to seize this opportunity with open arms. Cricket Exchange will be closely tracking his performance as he steps onto the NBA stage.