D’Angelo Russell’s next stop is China.
The former NBA All-Star has signed with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association for the 2026-27 season, according to the league’s announcement after Chinese basketball reporter Zhang Dou first reported the deal was in place. For the 30-year-old guard, it will be his first professional basketball experience outside the United States.
Russell lands in Shanghai after a quick exit from the Memphis Grizzlies, who waived him last week while cutting down their roster ahead of training camp. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported at the time that the move opened the door for Russell to look for another opportunity before the season began.
There had reportedly been some hope on Russell’s side that he could find a spot with an NBA playoff contender. That never came together, and now he heads overseas with what should be a much larger offensive role waiting for him.
It marks a sharp turn for a player who was an NBA All-Star just seven years ago.
Russell entered the league as the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, taken by the Los Angeles Lakers. After two seasons in Los Angeles, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets and hit the best stretch of his career.
In the 2018-19 season, Russell put up 21.1 points and 7.0 assists per game and earned his first All-Star nod as an injury replacement for Victor Oladipo. He helped push the Nets into the playoffs and looked like one of the league’s brightest young guards.
Since then, the road has been a lot bumpier. Russell moved from Brooklyn to the Golden State Warriors, then on to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He later returned to the Lakers, had another stint with the Nets, and signed with the Dallas Mavericks.
Last season was especially rough. Dallas brought him in for point guard help, but his role shrank quickly. In 26 games, with only three starts, he averaged 10.2 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 40.5% from the field and 29.5% from three.
The Mavericks later traded him to the Washington Wizards in the Anthony Davis blockbuster deal, though he did not have to report for the second half of the season.
Russell then exercised his $5 million player option for 2026-27 and was moved again, this time from Washington to Memphis in a massive six-team trade. His run with the Grizzlies ended almost as soon as it started, with the team waiving him before camp.
For now, Shanghai gets the next chapter.
Russell leaves the NBA with solid career numbers: 17.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.3 rebounds across 655 regular-season games. And at 30, a return to the league later on can’t be dismissed. A strong season in China could put him back on the radar, maybe even for contenders.
For the moment, though, the former No. 2 pick and former All-Star is starting over with the Shanghai Sharks.
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