Gilbert Arenas is headed to The Middle Kingdom…

The 30-year-old part-Cuban American basketball star has signed on to play with the Chinese league’s Shanghai Sharks, whose owner and president is former NBA star Yao Ming.

Arenas, who previously played for the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards, has been negotiating with the Guangdong Southern Tigers but opted to sign with the Sharks, who nearly disappeared due to financial problems in 2009 and were saved by Yao.

Arenas’ signing adds quality to the league, which begins play on Saturday, and follows the signing of Tracy McGrady by the Qingdao Eagles.

McGrady, known as “T-Mac,” was a teammate of Yao’s with the Houston Rockets.

Arenas, known as “Agent Zero,” could make his debut in the opening tournament on Saturday, when the Sharks take on the defending champion Beijing Ducks, a team led by former NBA star Stephon Marbury.