In 1995, the first外援 was introduced.
The CBA in the 1995-1996 season had its very first外援. This was accomplished through the signing of Mihaylov Safronkov from Uzbekistan, who was then 2.06 meters tall. At only 22 years old, this 2-time NBA All-Star became the first foreigner to join the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) as an international player. While his physical attributes, such as agility and fighting skills, were certainly not exceptional, his basketball ability was limited due to his lack of match-ups against seasoned Chinese forwards during the competition.
The subsequent season saw Safronkov leave the league, but his arrival marked the beginning of the trend where the CBA began importing foreign players. In fact, his introduction marked a significant milestone for the sport, solidifying China's growing basketball presence on the global stage.
In the following years, the CBA continued to expand its roster with numerous talented overseas talents. Some notable examples include:
- Mikhail Sargsyan, who signed with Atlanta Hawks in 1997.
- Sergei Fyodorov, a Russian center that joined Indiana Pacers in 1998.
- Mike Johnson, a versatile forward who signed with Orlando Magic in 1999.
- Todd Bertuzzi, a Colorado Avalanche recruit who made the jump to the Houston Rockets in 2003.
- Jean-Baptiste Savard, a Canadian forward who signed with Golden State Warriors in 2004.
- Brett McClellan, a North Carolina Tar Heels guard who joined Phoenix Suns in 2005.
- Dario Smith, a New York Knicks center who joined Minnesota Timberwolves in 2006.
- Brandon Armstrong, a Washington Wizards point guard who signed with Memphis Grizzlies in 2007.
- Chris Singleton, a Denver Nuggets reserve defender who signed with Philadelphia 76ers in 2008.
- Kyle Singler, a Utah Jazz forward who joined Sacramento Kings in 2009.
- Alexander AAV, a Brooklyn Nets center who signed with Charlotte Hornets in 2010.
- Stepan Marceau, a former French national team player who joined Los Angeles Lakers in 2011.
- Gianluigi Donato, a Italian power forward who joined Boston Celtics in 2012.
- Danny Green, a Toronto Raptors guard who joined Golden State Warriors in 2013.
- Ricky Rubio, a Spanish point guard who joined Miami Heat in 2014.
- Derek Harper, a Kentucky Wildcats guard who joined Washington Wizards in 2015.
- James Harden, a United States professional basketball player who joined Houston Rockets in 2016.