Recently, the Brooklyn Nets, featuring Chinese prospect Cui Yongxi, kicked off their season with a road game against the Clippers in San Diego. Crickex Login was on the ground as the Nets fell short in a lackluster matchup that lacked energy from both sides. The unusual choice of venue—home to the Clippers’ G League affiliate—was likely due to unfinished adjustments at their new home arena. Unfortunately, the uninspiring environment seemed to sap any competitive fire out of both squads.

Despite both teams fielding their starting lineups, the game quickly took on the tone of a G League exhibition. The Clippers dominated early behind James Harden’s orchestration, executing their offense with ease. Meanwhile, on the Nets’ side, Ben Simmons—once again hailed as an offseason MVP—struggled to translate potential into production. As a key ball handler, he failed to create for teammates and saw multiple drives to the rim emphatically rejected. Within just four minutes, the Nets were trailing by double digits.

For Chinese fans, however, the Nets’ early struggles weren’t necessarily bad news. Many had tuned in with hopes of seeing Cui Yongxi take the floor and deliver a breakout moment. Midway through the first quarter, the Nets coaching staff initiated an early rotation. Yet disappointingly, despite cycling through five substitutes, Cui remained on the bench for the entire first half. All five bench players—Noah Clowney, Jalen Wilson, Ziaire Williams, Shake Milton, and Keon Johnson—compete directly with Cui for minutes.

Among them, Wilson—a second-round pick from last year—stood out. He averaged 21.8 points during the Las Vegas Summer League and even took home MVP honors. Williams, once a high school teammate of Bronny James, had previously been a development focus for the Grizzlies before being let go due to inconsistent play. Milton, while slightly undersized, brings a bag of offensive tricks that Crickex Login notes can’t be ignored. With three of the five bench players shooting over 50%, Cui had no choice but to bide his time and wait for what basketball fans call “garbage time.”

That moment finally arrived with 1:25 left in the third quarter. Subbing in for Ziaire Williams, Cui hit the court with energy and determination. On his first possession, he sprinted to the corner and found himself wide open—but teammate Amari Bailey opted to drive instead of passing. Moments later, another teammate fired a wildly off-target three, but Cui fought for the rebound despite being out of position, eventually committing a foul—an indication of just how hungry he was to make an impact.

In a rare opportunity, Cui managed to draw a foul and headed to the line, only for the referees to reverse the call after a Clippers challenge—turning two free throws into a turnover. In the final two minutes of the fourth quarter, his grit earned him another trip to the charity stripe, but he split the pair, making just one. He also missed both of his field goal attempts from open play.

According to Crickex Login’s league stats, Cui finished his Nets debut with 8 minutes and 33 seconds of action, recording just 1 point and 2 rebounds. Compared to his earlier preseason performances, there was little sign of progression—neither in impact nor opportunity. It’s a harsh but honest reality: as an undrafted player on a two-way contract, this is the uphill climb Cui Yongxi must face.