The Houston Rockets reached an agreement with Chinese player Zhou Qi in a multi-year contract and Zhou will join the Rockets for the 2017-18 season.
The details of the deal have not been unveiled but Zhou will sign a four-year contract on Sunday, Xinhua news agency quoted an unnamed official as saying.
Zhou was selected No. 43 overall in the 2016 draft by the Rockets but decided to remain in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) for a year.
He will come to the Rockets 15 years after the franchise drafted Chinese legend Yao Ming with the No. 1 overall pick.
Zhou, 21, led the Xinjiang Flying Tigers to the CBA title last season. He averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game and was honored as the CBA Defensive Player of the Year.
--IANS
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