Rise of the underdog

Joining Lin on the standout rookie list is his wingman Wang Lanqin, a point guard developed in China's collegiate system who was selected as the top pick by Nanjing in this year's CBA Draft.

A former standout for Tsinghua University, Wang's composure and efficiency for the Monkey Kings have silenced doubts over whether his college-honed game would be able to cope with the physicality and intensity of the pro stage.

The 24-year-old has averaged 12 points, 3.2 assists and 1.7 steals in the first nine games, with Nanjing fans beginning to believe that the early-season momentum won't be a flash in the pan.

"As a rebuilding young team, we've done much more than we had expected for the beginning of the season," said Nanjing head coach Xirelijiang, who also plays for the team, following a 108-93 victory over former league champion the Xinjiang Flying Tigers on Sunday.

"The hard work we put in over the summer and the trust we put in our young players paid off big time," said the 31-year-old former national team guard, who was appointed the league's youngest head coach by Nanjing in May.

"For the growth of our rookies, I believe it's only possible for them to mature as long as we allow them to play and make mistakes on the court, rather than just having them sit and watch on the bench. I've been there and relate to them in that regard, so I am trying to help them from a player's perspective," said the player-coach hailing from Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

With the CBA continuing its strict limit on the use of foreigners this season, a group of homegrown talents has stepped up to embrace bigger roles with their respective franchises.