D.J. White signs with Yao Ming's Sharks
Free-agent forward D.J. White has reached agreement on a one-year contract to play for owner Yao Ming and the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association, sources told Yahoo! Sports.
White, who played for the Charlotte Bobcats last season, has a chance to become an elite player in the CBA and could help elevate Yao's franchise into serious contention.
Yao bought the cash-strapped Sharks in 2009 and has resurrected one of China's proudest basketball franchises. White will play for respected American coach Dan Panaggio for the Sharks. After numerous injuries, Yao retired from the Houston Rockets in 2011.
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Once the Chinese season is over in March, White will become eligible to sign with an NBA team and be eligible for inclusion on a playoff roster. Several contenders – including Boston, San Antonio and Miami – had White work out for them in recent weeks, and he could be a coveted player to add frontline depth for a team's postseason push.
White, 26, played nearly 19 minutes for the Charlotte Bobcats a season ago, averaging 6.8 and 3.6 rebounds per game. The 29th selection of the 2009 NBA draft out of Indiana, White played three-plus seasons for Oklahoma City before joining the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010.
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