Basketball fans in China are currently witnessing one of the most unpredictable shifts in power the league has seen in a decade. If you’ve been looking at the cba china basketball league standings lately, you probably noticed that the old "Liaoning vs. Guangdong" dynasty narrative has basically been thrown out the window.
The 2025-2026 season kicked off with a level of parity that is, honestly, kind of shocking for a league that used to be dominated by just two or three teams. Right now, the Zhejiang Lions (Guangsha) are sitting pretty at the top of the mountain, but the margin for error is razor-thin. We are seeing established powerhouses struggling to stay in the top eight, while teams like the Qingdao Eagles and Shanghai Sharks are suddenly legitimate title contenders. It's a weird time.
The Current Hierarchy: Who's Actually Winning?
As of mid-January 2026, the standings tell a story of a league divided. The Zhejiang Lions have managed to pull away slightly with a 14-2 record, largely thanks to the scoring of Barry Brown Jr. and the interior presence of Hu Jinqiu. They aren't just winning; they're dismantling people.
But look right below them. The Guangdong Southern Tigers are still there, hovering around 12-4, but they don't look invincible anymore. They’ve dropped games they would have walked through three years ago. The Shanghai Sharks and Beijing Ducks are right in that same neighborhood, making the top four a total dogfight.
Then you have the mid-table chaos. The Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin and Qingdao Eagles are effectively gatekeeping the upper tier. It's fascinating because the "win-loss" difference between the 5th seed and the 10th seed is often just a single game. One bad week and you go from a home-court advantage in the playoffs to fighting for your life in the play-in round.
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cba china basketball league standings: The Top 10 Breakdown
Instead of just looking at raw numbers, you have to look at the "form." Some teams are inflated by a soft early schedule, while others are battle-hardened. Here is how the top of the pack looks right now:
- Zhejiang Lions (Guangsha): The current gold standard. They play a disciplined style that most CBA teams can't match.
- Guangdong Southern Tigers: Still the most popular team, but their aging core is starting to show some cracks.
- Shanghai Sharks: Money can't always buy championships, but it's finally buying them a lot of wins.
- Beijing Ducks: Their defense is still their identity. They grind games out.
- Qingdao Eagles: The surprise of the season. They are playing way above their "on-paper" talent level.
- Shandong Hi-Speed Kirin: Solid, consistent, but maybe lacking that superstar "X-factor" to jump into the top three.
- Zhejiang Golden Bulls: Fast-paced and dangerous, but they've had some head-scratching losses to bottom-tier teams.
- Liaoning Flying Leopards: It’s weird seeing them this low. Injuries have absolutely gutted their rotation this year.
- Ningbo Rockets: Actually respectable this year! They used to be the league's punching bag, but not anymore.
- Shanxi Loongs: They live and die by the three-point line. When they’re hot, they can beat anyone.
Why Liaoning is Falling and Why It Matters
The biggest shock in the cba china basketball league standings is the fall of the Liaoning Flying Leopards. For years, they were the "Golden State Warriors" of China. But father time is undefeated. Zhao Jiwei and the rest of the veteran core have been banged up, and the "next generation" of Liaoning players hasn't quite stepped up to the plate.
This matters because it opens a vacuum. For the first time in a long time, the championship feels "up for grabs." When Liaoning is weak, the rest of the league smells blood. That's why we see teams like the Nanjing Tongxi Monkey Kings playing with so much more aggression—they actually believe they can win now.
The Individual Stats Driving the Standings
You can't talk about standings without talking about the guys putting up the points. The "foreign aid" (import players) still dominate the scoring charts, but the gap is closing.
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Quinndary Weatherspoon (Qingdao) and Grant Riller (Beijing Royal Fighters) are currently neck-and-neck for the scoring title, both averaging over 23 points per game. But the real story is the domestic talent. Qi Zhou, now with the Beijing Ducks, is a walking double-double and the primary reason Beijing’s defense is so terrifying.
On the rebounding side, Scottie James Jr. (Tianjin) and Jared Sullinger (Guangdong) are basically vacuuming up everything near the rim. If your team doesn't have a dominant "big," you aren't going anywhere in the CBA this year. It's a big man's league again.
What Most People Get Wrong About the CBA Format
A lot of casual fans think the standings are final once the regular season ends. Nope. The CBA uses a 1-12 playoff format.
- The top 4 teams get a "bye" (they skip the first round).
- Teams ranked 5 through 12 play a best-of-three series to see who joins the top 4.
This means being 4th versus 5th is a massive, massive deal. It's the difference between a week of rest and a high-stress "win or go home" series. That's why the race for that 4th spot—currently a tug-of-war between Shanghai and Beijing—is the most important thing to watch right now.
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The Bottom of the Barrel: Who's Struggling?
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The Sichuan Blue Whales are having a nightmare of a season. As of this writing, they haven't even cracked the 5-win mark. They are basically a developmental team at this point.
The Jiangsu Dragons aren't doing much better. It's a tough pill to swallow for fans in those regions, but the league is moving toward a more professional, high-spending model, and the smaller market teams are getting left in the dust.
Looking Ahead: What to Watch For
The trade deadline and the "import swap" period are coming up. In the CBA, teams can change their foreign players mid-season, which often leads to a massive surge in the standings for teams that were struggling.
Watch the Xinjiang Flying Tigers. They have the budget to bring in a high-level former NBA player who could easily propel them from 15th place into the playoff hunt in a matter of weeks. They’ve done it before, and they’ll probably do it again.
Actionable Insights for CBA Followers
If you're following the cba china basketball league standings to place bets, or just to stay informed, here’s the smart way to look at it:
- Ignore "Home" Wins: CBA home-court advantage is real, but top teams are starting to win more consistently on the road this year. Look for "away" efficiency stats.
- Track the "Import" Changes: A team might be 12th today, but if they sign a former NBA G-League scoring leader tomorrow, their "true" rank is much higher.
- Watch the 4th/5th Seed Gap: This is where the most desperate basketball will be played in February and March.
- Check the Injury Reports: Specifically for Liaoning and Guangdong. Their standings are 100% dependent on whether their 30+ year-old stars are on the floor.
The league is scheduled to wrap up its regular season on April 24, 2026. Between now and then, expect those middle-tier rankings to shuffle at least a dozen more times. It's not a marathon; it's a 42-game sprint where one rolled ankle can change the entire playoff bracket. Keep an eye on the Zhejiang Lions—they're the team to beat, but they've got a massive target on their backs.