Childhood Friends One Year Apart Reunite in Shandong: Can Wang Lanqin's Arrival Revitalize Chen Peidong?

On September 4, in the CBA preseason, Shandong defeated Fujian 82-75. When discussing Shandong men's basketball, Xia Xiaosi, chief editor of the sports news department of Shandong Radio and Television Sports Channel, said that Wang Lanqin's arrival could further stimulate Chen Peidong's competitive form and is worth looking forward to.

In this game, Chen Peidong performed strongly, scoring 17 points in total, including 5 made three-pointers on 9 attempts, showing a clear return to form. Speaking of Chen Peidong and Wang Lanqin, both are rising basketball talents from Weifang, Shandong, and they are very familiar with each other. When they were in primary school, the two trained together at the Weifang Sports School. Both came through the sports system and were key players for the men's basketball event at the 23rd Shandong Provincial Games. Wang Lanqin's older brother was also a player on the team at the time, and the two developed a deep friendship in their youth.

Different paths of development

However, the two later took different paths in their development. Chen Peidong chose the sports school basketball route and joined the Shandong youth men's basketball team. In 2017, several players from the Shandong youth team moved to NBL Anhui Wenyi, and Chen Peidong also went to Anhui to play. Later, Ji Minshang, a former Shandong men's basketball executive, went to Anhui and brought him back, accompanying Chen Peidong on a train ride and helping him return to the CBA through his hometown team. Wang Lanqin followed the campus basketball route, rising from Weifang No. 1 High School before entering Tsinghua University to compete in CUBAL, then entering the league through the CBA Draft. This summer, Wang Lanqin officially joined his hometown team, Shandong Hi-Speed Men's Basketball Team.

Reunion and expectations

The two Weifang natives, who are only one year apart in age, played alongside each other in their youth and have now reunited in Shandong. Their years of friendship mean they may not need much time to build chemistry, and Wang Lanqin's arrival could further stimulate Chen Peidong's competitive form. In the new season, the performance of this Weifang duo is worth anticipating.