Chinese basketball player Zhou Qi will reportedly enter the 2016 NBA draft, bidding to take the place of superstar Yao Ming as the top name from China in the world's most popular basketball league.

According to Yahoo Sports, the 20-year-old Zhou, who plays the position of a center with a towering height of 7 feet 2 inches (2.18 meters) tall, has played for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers for two seasons. The NBA aspirant was the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league leader for the most number of blocked shots for both seasons.

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He helped the Flying Tigers to reach the semifinal round of the recently concluded 2015-16 CBA season, but fell short of taking the team to the finals after they bowed out to the Sichuan Blue Whales.

The Henan native, who has been nicknamed "the big devil king," has already submitted his paperwork to enter the draft that will be held this coming June and started his training in the United States, according to Shanghai Daily.

Zhou, who is averaging 15.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocked shots per game, is projected to be a first round talent with the Toronto Raptors as the potential team to pick the big guy on the draft night.

The Chinese basketball star first earned international notice during the 2011 FIBA U-16 World Championship that was held in Turkey, where he registered a triple-double performance of 41 points, 28 rebounds, and 15 blocks in a 94-90 semifinals triumph over Germany. He then followed up that performance with a showing of 30 points, 17 boards, and 8 blocked shots in a 67-66 win over the host country in the championship round.

China is the NBA's largest overseas market. The Chinese fans, who were avid followers of the league, are evidently thrilled at the prospect of finally having another of their countryman to root for since Yao Ming's retirement in year 2011 and Yi Jianlian left in 2012 to return to play in the CBA.

Tagschinese basketball association, NBA 2016, 2016 NBA Draft, Zhou Qi, Xinjiang Flying tigers, Yao Ming