NANJING, China - The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) club Nanjing Monkey Kings has appointed star player Xirelijiang as head coach, the club announced Tuesday.

The 31-year-old guard will become the youngest head coach in the Chinese basketball league.

Since joining Nanjing in the 2020-21 CBA season, Xirelijiang has proved his ability to lead the team alone, the club said on its Weibo account, adding that Xirelijiang has left his mark on the young team with his passion and vitality.

Xirelijiang led domestic players in assists and three-pointers during his first CBA season in Nanjing, with all his statistics reaching career highs. He averaged 17.2 points, 8.9 assists and 5.3 rebounds in the 2021-22 season.

Xirelijiang has excellent tactical concepts and is adept at motivating players and boosting their morale, said the club, which finished bottom of the 20-team CBA last season.