Shanghai Sharks Welcome New CBA Season With Revamped Squad

The Shanghai Sharks are all geared up for the new Chinese Basketball Association season which kicks off this weekend. Their season opener will be a home match against the Jilin Northeast Tigers at Shanghai Indoor Stadium on Sunday.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary next month, the club aims to achieve better results in the 2025-26 season by introducing a handful of new foreign and domestic players.

Former National Basketball Association blocks leader and American center Hassan Whiteside will help bolster the team's interior presence, while American guards Kyle Fogg (formerly with Liaoning) and Brandon Goodwin – who helped Shanxi reach the CBA semifinals last season – will further solidify the team's defensive line.

The Sharks advanced to the quarterfinals of the CBA Cup with three straight wins in the group stage. The new foreign players, including Goodwin, delivered notable performances.

Last season, the Sharks started off sluggishly but, after a coaching staff adjustment, managed to finish 10th in the league to secure a playoff berth, where they ultimately fell to Guangdong in the first round.

Head coach Lu Wei hopes to lead the revamped squad to deliver more satisfying results in the club's 30th anniversary season.