Suspended. A Guangzhou player smuggled a girl into his hotel room inside a suitcase.

The defender of the basketball club "Guangzhou Long-Lions," Zhang Xinglian, has found himself at the center of a scandal after being caught violating club rules. The young player hid a girl in a suitcase to sneak her into the team hotel the night before a game against Qingdao.

According to the club's internal regulations, players are prohibited from bringing guests, including girlfriends, to the team hotel before games. However, 20-year-old Zhang decided to circumvent this ban using an unusual method—a spacious suitcase.

The story gained attention after the girl, an arts student, posted a photo on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, where she is seen sitting in the suitcase. In the caption, she explained that Zhang helped her sneak into the hotel and dedicated the entire night to helping her with her studies. According to friends of the student, she was struggling with her coursework and had failed several exams.

The incident sparked negative reactions, and the girl subsequently deleted her post. Zhang Xinglian, who is in his second season with the Long-Lions, has already faced disciplinary action from the club.

This season, he is averaging 6.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.8 steals per game.