A recent mock draft on NBA.com has Chinese basketball standout Zhou Qi going to the Golden State Warriors at number 30. Qi also attended a pre-draft workout held by the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

Scott Howard-Cooper, the analyst who made the mock draft for NBA.com said that the fact that the Bay area has a large Chinese population would not necessarily play a role in the Warriors' potential decision to draft Qi.

Like Us on Facebook

"It would not be a marketing move by the Warriors. (Like they need one)," wrote Howard-Cooper, referencing Golden State's massive popularity spurred by last year's championship and back-to-back MVP Stephen Curry.

Still, the Warriors' front office must be at least considering the potential marketing benefits Qi would bring.

Howard-Cooper also noted that the Warriors, "looking for cap flexibility heading into free agency, will pick a player to stay overseas." Other analysts mentioned the possibility of the 20-year-old Qi going to the NBA developmental league until he puts on enough weight to play in the post against NBA talent.

The Boston Celtics are another team that is showing real interest in The Big Devil King. The Celtics worked out 12 draft prospects on Wednesday, and Qi was one of them.

Former Celtics great and current director of basketball operations Danny Ainge even sent his son Austin to scout Qi.

Austin Ainge, who is the Celtics director of player personnel said the team has been tracking the Chinese star for a long time. "We've known about him for a couple of years," said Austin Ainge. "He's so long, has a good touch."

Qi does not speak much English, but Austin Ainge does not think the language barrier poses a problem, observing that "he knew basketball stuff in English and picked it up really quickly."

Boston has the 3rd, 16th, and 23rd picks in the first round of the draft.

Qi's weight remains the biggest question mark, but his size and agility offer an upside that is hard for NBA teams to overlook. Watch for Qi to be drafted in the late first round or early second. 

TagsZhou Qi, 2016 NBA Draft, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry, MVP, Danny Ainge, NBA