The Nets officially announced the signing of Zeng Fanbo! Wearing jersey number 12, he has officially joined the 21-man training camp roster.

On September 23rd Beijing time, the Nets officially announced the signing of Zeng Fanbo. The contract is reportedly an Exhibit 10 agreement. The Nets then published their 21-man training camp roster, listing Zeng, who will don jersey number 12 for the camp and preseason matches.

At 22 years old and standing 2.11 meters tall, Zeng Fanbo possesses "3D" potential. This signing comes less than three weeks before the Nets play two NBA China games against the Suns. Zeng has clearly stated that he views this Exhibit 10 contract as only the "first step" toward securing a permanent NBA roster spot.

Zeng Fanbo was once a four-star prospect at a high school in Florida, making the state's best team in his sophomore year. He later played for the Ignite team in the NBA G League. At 19, he participated in the Summer League with the Pacers. In 2022, Zeng returned to China to join the Beijing Shougang team in the CBA. During the 2024-25 CBA season, he earned the “Most Improved Player” award and was selected to the All-CBA First Team.

In the 2024-25 CBA regular season, Zeng Fanbo appeared in 37 games for Beijing Shougang, averaging career highs of 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game. He shot 41% from three-point range, marking his best domestic league performance since joining Beijing in 2022. In the playoffs, over 5 games, he averaged 15 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks, helping Beijing reach the semifinals. However, in the second semifinal game against Shanxi, a severe fall caused a back injury, prematurely ending his best season yet.

Throughout his career, Zeng Fanbo has consistently demonstrated strong long-range shooting and shot-blocking skills. However, his exact role with the Nets remains uncertain: as an Exhibit 10 contract holder, he has the chance to compete for a standard contract but is more likely to first pursue a two-way contract. Should he be waived after the preseason, he could join the Nets’ G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets.

“First of all, Zeng Fanbo is a fantastic person,” said Long Island coach Udofia. “He has great character. From a basketball perspective, his skill set is solid, with excellent shooting ability and outstanding athleticism. I’m excited to coach him and happy to have him on board. I believe he will perform well for both teams (referring to Long Island Nets and Brooklyn Nets).”

The Nets officially released the 21-player training camp roster as follows—

#44 Baffour, #33 Claxton, #21 Clauni, #8 Deming, #10 Etienne, #7 Haysmith, #9 Liddell, #14 Mann, #13 Martin, #17 Porter Jr., #4 Drake-Powell, #77 Sharaf, #20 Sharp, #24 Thomas, #26 Timmy, #88 Traore, #0 Whitehead, #1 Zaire Williams, #22 Wilson, #2 Wolf, #12 Zeng Fanbo.