Who is Zhang Ziyu, the 7-foot-3, 17-year-old girl Chinese basketball star?
Every generation has a basketball star whose proportions take the sports scene by storm and change the way the game is played. Whether Manute Bol, Margo Dydek, Yao Ming, or Victor Wembanyama, viewers watch in awe as they tower over the competition.
The newest sensation is still of high school age: In the U18 Asia Cup, Zhang Ziyu, spent the last week dominating the tournament as a 17-year-old who stands at a massive 7-foot-3.
She broke the record for points in a game in the tournament with 44 in a win over Japan, and led China to the finals, where they lost to Australia despite 42 points and 14 rebounds in just 26:38 of play. China fell apart during the time in which Ziyu wasn’t on the court, falling 96-79 despite a plus-minus of plus-5 from the center, according to the FIBA page.
Zhang Ziyu’s got heart
The 7’3″ center dropped another 40-piece to wrap up China’s impressive campaign in the #U18AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/vMachIzf5B
— NextGen Hoops (@NextGenHoops) June 30, 2024
Take a look at her box scores throughout the U18 Asia Cup:
Group phase:
In the 109-50 opening win over Indonesia, Ziyu recorded 19 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and three blocks and went 9-for-9 shooting from the field in just 13:30 of play.
In 22:46 of play in the second game, she recorded 36 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks while going 16-for-20 from the field in a win over New Zealand.
Ziyu helped China go undefeated in the group stage by taking down rival Japan with a record 44 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists. She shot 20-for-22 from the field in that game.
Semifinals
In the 79-61 win over Korea, Ziyu scored 34 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, and had five assists in 21:35 of play. She went 17-for-25 from the field.
Finals
Ziyu’s 42 points, 14 rebounds and a block weren’t enough to keep China close throughout the game, falling by 18 points to Australia. Overall, Australia held her in check, limiting her to 50% shooting (18-for-36) — by far the best defensive performance against the dominant center in the tournament.
Throughout the tournament, Ziyu shot 80-for-112 from the field, a clip above 71%.
If Ziyu were to pursue the WNBA, she would be the all-time tallest player in the league. The current tallest is Han Xu, who was the first Chinese woman to play in the league in 22 years, according to the WNBA, and last played for the New York Liberty in 2023. Dydek, who played from 1998-2008, has a 7-foot-2 stature that still stands above the rest.
In the NBA today, the only players who are listed at least 7-foot-3 are Kristiaps Porzningis (7-foot-3), Boban Marjanovic and Wembanyama (both 7-foot-4).