In a stunning turn of events, Jared Sullinger, once hailed as a dominant force in the CBA, has seen his performance plummet to alarming levels during the playoffs. The Guangdong Southern Tigers were eliminated in the quarterfinals, losing 1-2 to the Beijing Ducks. Sullinger averaged just 10.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in the postseason, with shooting percentages of 48% from the field, a dismal 17.6% from three-point range, and 66.7% from the free-throw line.
It’s a far cry from his prime years with the Shenzhen Leopards, where he consistently posted 30 points and 15 rebounds per game. During Game 2, a narrow home win for Guangdong, Sullinger managed just 3-of-1 shooting in only 12 minutes of play. In the decisive Game 3, he went 6-of-1 with multiple turnovers, struggling mightily under pressure.
Beyond the numbers, Sullinger’s attitude has been called into question. He appeared lethargic and unmotivated on the court, a problem that plagued him earlier in his career. His massive salary, reportedly higher than other imports like Samnam and Quinn, only adds to the frustration. With such a steep drop-off, it seems unlikely that any CBA team will take a chance on him next season.
Guangdong’s head coach Du Feng and general manager Zhu Fangyu now face heavy scrutiny for their import selections. The team’s reliance on underwhelming options like Sullinger, along with injuries to Samnam, has been widely criticized. As the season wraps up, the consensus is that the Southern Tigers need a complete overhaul of their foreign player roster to compete again.
