Chinese basketball player Zhang Ziyu was in the spotlight of netizens after the 16-year-old girl’s debut helped lead her country to defeat the Indonesian women’s U-18 team in the inaugural match of the FIBA U-18 Women’s Asia Cup 2024 Division A in Shenzhen, Monday (24/6).
Zhang Ziyu, who debuted in this match, because of his large body, looked very significant among the other players, especially the Indonesian women’s U-18 team on the field. Zhang Ziyu’s height reaches 220 cm.
The young woman’s height is almost the same as Chinese basketball legend in the NBA, Yao Ming (229 cm). Zhang Ziyu is also four centimeters shorter than the tallest player in the 2023 NBA draft, Victor Wembanyama (224 cm), who is currently playing for the San Antonio Spurs.
The match against Indonesia was Zhang Ziyu’s international match debut in the Chinese uniform.
With this posture, it is not impossible for Zhang Ziyu to attract the interest of WNBA clubs in Uncle Sam’s country.
Zhang Ziyu was born on May 2 2007 to parents who were also Chinese basketball players. He has reportedly been playing basketball for five years under the care of his parents. Zhang Ziyu’s father is 2.13 meters tall, while his mother is 1.98 meters.
After performing impressively against Indonesia, a day later Zhang Ziyu appeared from the start in the match against New Zealand. He scored 36 points or 80 percent of his shots at the rim, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks. China won over New Zealand with a score of 90-68.
Zhang Ziyu’s brilliant performance received appreciation from fans on social media. Photos and videos of him facing much shorter opponents on the field circulated widely in cyberspace and became the talk of fans.
“In his first two matches with the national team, Zhang has shown a lot of potential, especially after passing brilliantly what could be one of his first tests as he enters the international basketball arena,” FIBA wrote on its official website.
