2.26 meters tall The 18-year-old basketball sensation Zhang Ziyu takes off
18-year-old Zhang Ziyu impresses with her extraordinary height and talent in her first appearance in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association.
No time? Blue Sport sums it up for you
- The 18-year-old Zhang Ziyu caused a stir in her debut in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association with 15 points and her dominant presence despite her short playing time.
- At 2.26 meters tall, she is the tallest known female basketball player in the world and is regarded as an exceptional talent with WNBA potential. Zhang is also probably the tallest woman in the world.
- Zhang also impresses internationally with strong performances and, according to experts, is set to play a key role in the future of Chinese women's basketball. The WNBA is also tempting.
Zhang Ziyu has caused a stir with her debut in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA). She played for Shandong Shijiazhuang on Sunday and impressed not only with 15 points in her short stint in the 106:93 win against Hebei Win Power, but also with her presence on the court.
With a height of 2.26 meters and a weight of just over 100 kilograms, Zhang is considered the tallest female basketball player in the world. For comparison: NBA player Victor Wembanyama from the San Antonio Spurs is also 2.26 meters tall, making him the tallest current NBA player. Both are only five centimetres shorter than the tallest NBA players in history - Gheorghe Mureșan and Manute Bol - who were both 2.31 meters tall. The 18-year-old Zhang is also one of the youngest players in the Chinese league.
On her debut, Zhang came on as a substitute and put in a strong performance in twelve minutes of play, making six out of nine shots and grabbing six rebounds. According to Bild, Shandong's head coach Hou Bing praised her quick adaptation and solid debut, but emphasized that she still needs time to get used to the intensity of the league.
Soon in the WNBA?
Chinese national coach Gong Luming also sees great potential in Zhang. He emphasizes that talented young players like her can gain valuable experience in the WCBA in order to further advance Chinese women's basketball.
Zhang has already gained international experience, including at the FIBA Women's U18 Asia Cup 2024, where she scored 19 points in 13 minutes against Indonesia. Last summer, she made her debut for the national team against Bosnia and Herzegovina and scored 18 points in 12 minutes. Bosnia's coach Emir Halimic praised her as the best player he had ever seen.
According to "Watson", Zhang was born tall by her parents, who played basketball themselves. However, she has long been taller than her father (2.13 m) and her mother (1.98 m). The WNBA - the North American women's basketball league is regarded as the best in the world - is also likely to become an issue for the teenage sensation. She is likely to register for the 2027 draft.
