Signed, sealed, and delivered! A three-year deal worth 18 million to join the Qingdao team with a super max salary.

Wow, a super max contract.

Wang Yibo has joined Qingdao on a three-year 18 million RMB deal, ending his tenure with Zhejiang in the CBA.

This guy was born on January 6, 1999, stands 1.82 meters tall, and is a guard who played eight seasons for Zhejiang. He helped the team reach the playoffs seven times, with his best season (21-22) averaging 10.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 1 steal per game, shooting 48.2%, 41.9%, and 86.7% from the three main shooting categories; in the playoffs, he averaged 10 points, 2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, with shooting percentages of 36.8%, 25%, and 83.3%.

Last season, Wang Yibo played 18.8 minutes per game, averaging 5.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 3 assists, shooting 42.2%, 33.3%, and 87.5%. He appeared in only one playoff game, recording one assist and one foul, with all other stats at zero. Thus, many were surprised he secured a three-year D-level super max contract from Qingdao.

Although Wang Yibo will represent Qingdao in the upcoming CBA season, he will still play for Zhejiang at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao National Games from November 9 to 21 this year, which was one of the conditions Zhejiang set for allowing his transfer.

In last season’s regular season, Qingdao finished eighth in the league with a 31-15 record, while Zhejiang ranked ninth with a 30-16 record.

In this year’s playoffs first round, Qingdao defeated Zhejiang 2-1, then lost 2-3 to the eventual champions, Guangsha, in the second round.

During this summer’s off-season, both teams lost key interior players: Yang Hansen joined the Portland Trail Blazers as the 16th pick in the NBA first round, and Yu Jiahao took his talents to Bilbao Basket in Spain’s Liga ACB.

With Wang Yibo’s departure, Zhejiang’s guard lineup will undergo a major overhaul. Former player and assistant coach Wu Qian returns, while Cheng Shuaipeng, back from national team training, will become the new undisputed local core. The 2007 rising star Li Yuezhou will be entrusted with significant responsibilities in his rookie season.

As for Qingdao, simply adding Wang Yibo is clearly not enough to compensate for Yang Hansen’s loss, making their hopes for the playoffs next season look increasingly slim...