Chinese basketball prospect Pang Qingfang was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Jackson airport in Mississippi, facing potential deportation after his temporary status expired, according to reports by European basketball and draft expert Wang Jian.
Authorities Transfer Pang to Louisiana Detention Center
Federal immigration authorities transferred the 21-year-old forward to the Richwood Immigration Detention Center in Louisiana. His defense attorney stated that Pang was unaware his status had lapsed and has since filed an emergency bond hearing application to restore his student status and resume playing basketball.
Pang Held Scholarship Offers from 13 NCAA Programs
The detention interrupts a career path that once placed Pang among the most heavily recruited Chinese prospects in the United States. Standing 2.06 meters and operating as a power forward, Pang earned a four-star rating from ESPN in 2024 and ranked as the No. 25 power forward nationally. He initially held scholarship offers from 13 NCAA Division I programs, including Michigan, Oregon, and UCLA.
Early Development in Shenzhen and New York
Before his arrival in American high school and college basketball, Pang established his foundation in Shenzhen, China. He trained at the Shenzhen Sports School under Dai Yixin, an early mentor of Yi Jianlian. In 2018, at age 13, Pang served as flag bearer for the Shenzhen delegation at the Guangdong Provincial Games and led his squad to a U13 gold medal. He claimed MVP honors at the 2019 National U15 Reserve Talent Base Basketball Tournament after averaging 25 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. After moving to the United States in 2019, he attended St. Benedict’s Prep in New Jersey before transferring to Christ the King High School in New York, where he averaged 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in the New York Catholic High School Athletic Association.
Attorneys File to Contest Deportation Threat
Immigration attorneys representing Pang have initiated legal filings to contest the deportation threat and secure his release from the Louisiana facility. His defense attorney has filed an emergency bond hearing application to restore his student status.
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