Rockets duo are set fo join CBA

On April 13 (Beijing time), according to domestic media reports, two former teammates from the Houston Rockets are set to join the CBA. They are Josh Christopher and Daishen Nix.

The 24-year-old Christopher is expected to sign with the Shenzhen Leopards. Standing at 1.93 meters, he plays as a shooting guard. He was selected by the Rockets with the 24th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft and was rated a five-star recruit in high school.

Christopher played two seasons with the Rockets, appearing in 138 games. In the 2021–22 season, he averaged 7.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, shooting 29.6% from three-point range. After the 2022–23 season, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a five-team deal and was subsequently waived. In the 2024–25 season, he briefly appeared in 14 games for the Miami Heat.

During the 2025–26 season, Christopher played in the NBA G League, appearing in 31 regular-season games for the Heat’s affiliate. He averaged 22.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, shooting 49.5% from the field and 34.2% from beyond the arc.

The other former Rockets player heading to the CBA is guard Daishen Nix, who will join the Shanxi Loongs. Also 24 years old and 1.93 meters tall, Nix plays as a point guard. A product of the G League Ignite, he went undrafted in 2021, played for the Rockets from 2021 to 2023, and later spent two seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In the 2025–26 season, Nix played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ G League affiliate. Over 35 regular-season games, he averaged 22.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 2.4 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game, shooting 41.1% from the field and 29.6% from three-point range. He helped the Vipers reach the G League semifinals.