When professional NBA players remain free agents due to being unsigned by teams in the league, there are times when they choose to find employment overseas, often signing lucrative contracts with teams in Europe or China.
Recently, it was revealed that guard Eric Bledsoe has signed with the Shanghai Sharks, after remaining a free agent after the summer. This will likely be a good move for him, as it will allow him to play consistent basketball, while also potentially proving that he belongs back in the league.
Eric Bledsoe is signing with the Shanghai Sharks, per @Sportando pic.twitter.com/y9L1ShB1p6
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 26, 2022
A lot of NBA fans reacted to this announcement, with many of them joking about the situation. Some suggested that Eric Bledsoe would end up being a dominant player there, similar to how other former NBA players dominate in lesser leagues. Players like Jeremy Lin and Lance Stephenson have played in the CBA in the past and found relative success there.
Hopefully, we do see Eric Bledsoe have a productive season with the Shanghai Sharks. It is quite likely that he will be a star in China, and it’ll be interesting to see what sort of numbers he puts up.
Eric Bledsoe Had A Solid Time In The NBA
Though it is clear that teams weren’t interested in his services in free agency, Eric Bledsoe still had a fantastic career. Many players have spoken highly about him in the past, with CJ McCollum once calling him “mini LeBron” for his athleticism and explosive scoring.
I’m a big fan of Eric Bledsoe. He’s like mini LeBron. Super athletic, explosive, can lead a team, can run a team. Has had some great years of basketball, especially with the Phoenix Suns. Most notably has played well with the Bucks and other teams… with them re-signing Reggie Jackson I felt like they had to get off of Patrick Beverley… I like the Bledsoe move personally, I think he’s a good defender, he’s aggressive he’s athletic, he’s explosive. I’m not sure who will start between Bledsoe and Reggie Jackson, but any event I like both of those guards.
There is no doubt that Eric Bledsoe has had a tough last few years in the NBA, but in his prime, he was absolutely a great player. If he improves his shooting ability, it is quite possible that teams will end up signing him next year.
As of right now, though, Eric Bledsoe is likely looking forward to this next chapter of his basketball journey. Playing in the CBA isn’t the worst thing that could have happened to Bledsoe and perhaps we will see him come back to the NBA in the future.
