In a shock decision rarely seen in the league, the Chinese Basketball Association club Ningbo Rockets announced that it’s immediately going to waive United States’ import Darius Bazley, citing the player’s “serious violation of professional ethics”.

The club, which is going all out in the final stretch of the regular season to try to secure a playoff spot, announced it will cut Bazley, a former NBA player, after the 25-year-old forward lost control of his emotions and got involved in fierce physical altercation with teammates over a turnover during Ningbo’s 97-119 loss to league leader Shanghai Sharks on Wednesday.

With one minute and 51 seconds left in the first quarter, Bazley got into a heated debate with teammate Zavier Simpson, another of Ningbo’s US imports, over a turnover, which saw Bazley’s careless in-bound pass intercepted by Shanghai’s Zhang Zhenlin, resulting in a quick 3-pointer.

Apparently frustrated by the mistake, Bazley dropped the ball on the floor when he was supposed to resume play, walked off the court just 55 seconds after he checked in, while quarreling with Simpson, which soon escalated into a fierce altercation with his compatriot, as well as with his Chinese teammates and bench staff who tried to mediate.

Bazley was then seen repeatedly shouting “No!” to the bench when Ningbo’s coaching crew tried to sub him out and settle the dispute. Reluctant to obey, the hot-tempered Bazley shoved Chinese teammate Wang Fanyi, who tried to calm him down, and Bazley later was seen arguing courtside with Ningbo’s general manager Liu Jiacheng and assistant coach Zhang Zhaoxu.

Two hours after the game, Ningbo announced its decision to waive Bazley in a strongly-worded statement, saying that the American player’s behavior has “seriously violated the basic ethics of a professional athlete”, stressing that “no foreign players should have any special privileges” in the CBA league.

Signed by Ningbo in March, Bazley has averaged 4.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists, shooting 44.4 percent from the field, in 12.4 minutes across 12 games for the Rockets, with his contribution falling below expectations for an NBA-caliber import.

Selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder at 23rd overall in the 2019 draft, Bazley spent the majority of his five-year NBA career with the Thunder before being traded to the Phoenix Suns in February 2023. He later spent two short stints with the Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz.

He started his CBA journey at the Guangdong Southern Tigers, signing in September 2024. He contributed 12.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per night across 33 games for Guangdong in his debut season.