Zhang Ziyu, the 2.20m, 18-year-old Chinese center, made her debut for her national team in the group of the Pre-World Cup that is taking place in Wuhan. And in her first game she has already wreaked havoc: in the 12 minutes she was on the court, she imposed her physique to finish with 12 points (6/8 from the field), three rebounds and an efficiency of 11. China defeated Mali 81-68
The Shandong Shangao Basketball Club player is the tallest of all those participating in the four groups of the World Cup. Before the game, she was seen warming up and almost touching the rim without jumping.
He is only one centimetre shorter than Spaniard Aday Mara and four centimetres shorter than Victor Wembanyama, the tallest player in the NBA. His teammate Zhang Manman is 50 centimetres shorter than him. But Ziyu is not the only tower in his team
Also in the squad are Han Xu, who plays for Australia’s Perth Lynx and is 2.05m tall, and Li Yueru, a Dallas Wings player who is 2.01m tall and was the best in the opener with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Between the three of them they form the closest thing to the Great Wall that can be found in women’s basketball.
An inherited height from his parents
Ziyu inherited her height from her parents. Her mother, Yu Ying, is 1.98 meters tall and was a professional basketball player and even played for China. Her father, Zhang Yuquan, is 2.13 m and also played professional basketball. The daughter went viral in 2021 when at the age of 14 she amazed in the final of the Chinese national championship in her category scoring 42 points, 25 rebounds and six blocks.
She is now a regular in the senior national team, with which she made her debut in June last year. In a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina, she scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds in just 13 minutes. Her physique does not allow her to spend too much time on the court, but thanks to her imposing size, she is decisive while she plays. China has a devastating weapon.
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