NBA: Do Not Forget About Fanbo Zeng In The G-League
The G-League Ignite has 3 or 4 first-round NBA prospects considered to be “top-tier.” Almost every draft site has Jaden Hardy and Dyson Daniels pegged as lottery selections (Scoot Henderson is widely considered Top-3 in 2023). A huge consensus will agree that Michael Foster and Marjon Beauchamp are back-end first-round guys. The name I want to focus on is a rather unheralded Ignitee who doesn’t get the attention of the casual draft community.
Out of a Florida Prep school via China, Fanbo Zeng doesn’t have the name appeal of his Ignite teammates. Zeng was only a 4-star recruit coming out of college. Gonzaga, who snagged Chet Holmgren, Nolan Hickman, and Hunter Sallis, had 5-star recruits (and top prospects) at the ready. Zeng, a high school standout from Windermere Preparatory School in Florida, was slated to be part of that illustrious and glorified Bulldogs class. That was before Ignite came calling.
All of the Ignite prospects have their strengths. Hardy has a natural feel for scoring the basketball. Daniels is a Ben Simmons-style player with a developing jump shot. Beauchamp needs to be considered one of the most athletic names of this draft class. Foster is a 6’8 banger that has shown a knack to overpower his competition. Henderson is the best of the bunch; we will need to wait another year for him. That brings us to Zeng. While he’s not a standout with any particular skill (like his teammates) some of the things he manages to excel at on the court should be noted.
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Zeng is not a scorer as of yet. He’s not nearly as aggressive taking shots as we’d expect to see from a potential first-round pick. What Zeng has shown to do rather well, drive and dish. Zeng has a way of getting inside the lane. While he might not do it with as much ease as Henderson, his crafty nature allows for some easy penetration. Again, Zeng doesn’t look to score on most occasions; he’s able to locate the open man as the defense collapses on him. It’s also worth pointing out how Zeng can see plays develop. He’s more than comfortable taking the ball at the top of the key and quickly locating his teammates (a sign he could develop a bigger role as a playmaker).
Zeng, who is going to grow his scoring repertoire as the year goes on, has a very noticeably strong basketball IQ. This is an intangible that a lot of draft prospects surprisingly lack. It’s for that reason (basketball IQ) I value Zeng as highly as I do. His intelligence is what gives me those goosebumps when watching him.
I’d argue that had Zeng been the focal point of a collegiate team (which he’d not have been at Gonzaga either), a lot more analysts would have Zeng higher (not to mention more eyes from the casual fan). The issue he’s faced with Ignite, the IQ hasn’t flashed as brightly as it can. This is due to his minutes not being as consistent, nor is his role in the offense. With all the mouths to feed and develop, getting a true grasp of his skill can be deemed a challenge. That’s the true challenge of the Ignite program.
I’ll give Zeng credit on one aspect of his game. I truly believe he’s one of the best on/off-ball defenders of this Ignite class. He’s had moments of pure shutdown defense. Instances of him sticking to his man like glue aren’t out of the ordinary. While that’s easy to spot against this competition, given his growth on the defensive side of the ball seemingly overnight (there wasn’t much insight to how he’d be as a defender coming out of high school) do not rule out Zeng as a possible above-average NBA defender (something I can already say Jaden Hardy will not be). He’s not going to be useless on the opposite end of the floor. At the very least, he’s pure 100 percent effort.
Am I higher on Zeng than most? I’d absolutely say I’m higher than everyone. What I see in him, developing shot techniques, evolving defensive game, an established and growing basketball IQ, and is a determined competitor. These traits are what drive me to certain players. I can easily dismiss Zeng because of his inability (thus far) to take over the game on the offensive end. To me, I’m more sold on him being a real all-around talent. He will make a rotation. Considering not every player can become a superstar, I’ll take the flier on Zeng who’s not as boom or bust. He’s going to be overlooked. I’d be totally fine taking him higher than expected in the 2022 NBA Draft just to make sure you have a piece (or entirety) of the action.
Image Source: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
