Chinese basketball player suspended for sneaking girlfriend into dormitory in suitcase

Guangzhou Loong Lions announced on Wednesday that Zhang, 20, would be suspended for violating the club's management regulations, preventing him from participating in first-team matches.

Before the announcement, Zhang became the center of discussion because of his girlfriend's post on social media a day before the game against Qingdao Eagles on Jan. 5.

The girlfriend, using the Weibo account @YuueCc, posted a photo of herself lying in a suitcase along with homework sheets. She revealed that Zhang smuggled her into the team's dormitory in the suitcase before the game and stayed up all night helping her complete her homework, Global Times reported.

Zhang's girlfriend, an art student, reportedly struggled academically and had failed several courses, according to her friends.

Guangzhou Loong Lions is a professional basketball club, founded in 2000, playing in the Chinese Basketball Association.

Basketball teams in China typically prohibit players from bringing guests, including girlfriends, into team dormitories, especially the night before games. Zhang reportedly got around this rule by using the suitcase to bypass inspections.

Zhang, a 1.87-m-tall, 84-kg point guard, is in his second season with the Loong Lions. He has played 26 games this season, starting in 13, with averages of 6.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.8 steals per game. In the match against Qingdao, Zhang played 25 minutes, scoring 5 points with 2 rebounds without an assist.

Following the backlash, Zhang's girlfriend deleted the post from her Weibo account.