Shanghai Men’s Basketball Team Announces: Lofton Joins the Team, to Wear No. 35 Jersey

Today, media personality Xue Sijia updated his social media with good news about the Shanghai men’s basketball team. The new foreign player, Kenneth Lofton, has finally arrived in Shanghai after experiencing flight issues. The original post reads as follows:

“Due to a flight malfunction the previous evening (yes, you read that right, the originally scheduled UA1394 flight was ultimately delayed by 8 hours), Kenneth Lofton officially arrived in Shanghai tonight after rescheduling. After completing his medical examination, he will travel to Ningbo overnight to prepare for the game the day after tomorrow. The club is also expediting the completion of his registration procedures. The ‘new season’ of the Shanghai men’s basketball team is finally about to begin.”

Subsequently, the official announcement from the Shanghai men’s basketball team confirmed that Kenneth Lofton has joined the team and will wear the No. 35 jersey. The announcement reads as follows:

“Official Announcement | Welcome Kenneth Lofton to Join Shanghai Jushi Men’s Basketball Team

Recently, our club has reached an agreement with American player Kenneth Lofton Jr. (Kenneth Lofton Jr.) regarding his joining. Once the registration materials are submitted to the CBA Company and reviewed and approved, he will represent Shanghai Jushi Men’s Basketball Team in the 2024-2025 CBA League.

Kenneth Lofton, born on August 14, 2002, stands at 198 cm and is a professional American basketball player who plays as a power forward.

In 2021, Lofton represented the USA U19 men’s basketball team at the FIBA U19 Men’s Basketball World Cup. In that tournament, he averaged 13.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. In the final against France, Lofton scored the highest 16 points for the team, with 15 of those points coming in the second half. His outstanding performance helped the US team win the gold medal with an 83-81 comeback victory over France.

After entering the NBA in 2022, Lofton played for teams such as the Memphis Grizzlies, Philadelphia 76ers, and Utah Jazz. On April 9, 2023, he started and played 40 minutes against the Thunder, scoring 42 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, setting new personal highs in both points and rebounds. He became the first player in NBA history to score at least 40 points and 10 rebounds in his first start.

Lofton is a versatile and strong forward. He possesses excellent physical attributes, skilled inside footwork, and a proactive fighting spirit. His arrival will enhance the team’s aggressiveness on offense.

Welcome Kenneth Lofton, who will wear the No. 35 jersey and play for our team. Let’s look forward to his performance on the court together!”