The photo taken on June 25, 2024 shows 2.20m (seven feet, three inches) Chinese basketball player Zhang Ziyu and her teammates listening to their coach’s instructions during their 2024 FIBA Under-18 Women’s Asia Cup match between China and New Zealand in Shenzhen. (Photo by AFP)
A 17-year-old Chinese basketball player has been tipped for the top and drawn comparisons to Yao Ming after using her startling height advantage to dominate an international tournament.
Zhang Ziyu stands 7-foot-3 (2.20 meters), according to Fiba, the basketball’s governing body.
But Chinese media reported earlier this year that she was even taller at 7-foot-6 (2.28m)
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Either way, she has used her height to help the hosts to two comfortable wins at this week’s U18 Women’s Asia Cup in Shenzhen and drawn attention beyond China after footage of her emerged online.
Against Indonesia on Monday, Zhang netted 19 points in 13 minutes after coming off the bench in a big 109-50 victory.
Video footage showed her towering over her opponents, with some of the Indonesian players barely coming up to the chest of Zhang, who hardly has to jump to reach the basket.
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China then beat New Zealand 90-68 on Tuesday, with the teenager posting a team-high 36 points. She also led in rebounds with 13.
Social media users compared her to former NBA star Yao, who was 2.29m tall and China’s greatest basketball player of all time.
The WNBA requires foreign players to be aged at least 20, but many observers are already speculating about Zhang’s potential future career in the United States.
“Generational dominance,” one user on X commented.
“She’s got a good touch around the rim,” another wrote.
“Most tall people just chuck the ball at it, hoping it goes in, but she has good form and knows what she’s doing.”