Chinese basketball sensation receives mixed reviews in competitive debut
Starting off the bench, Zhang finished with 13 points, four rebounds, two assists and one block in 11 minutes as the reigning champions dominated in a 110-59 win on the opening day in Shenzhen.
After the match, head coach Gong Luming defended Zhang, who turned 18 last month, against accusations she was slow and lacked defensive skills, and pointed out the 7ft 5in (2.26-metre) centre had not been practising with the team for the past 10 days.
'She has a very special and unique talent. She put loads of pressure on our opponents,' the 67-year-old said. 'But in real game situations, there are still areas of her game she needs to polish because she's still very young.'
The emphatic win at Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre, in which the hosts were in front for all but 11 seconds of the game and led by as many as 54 points at one stage, was no surprise given the difference between the two teams.
However, some in the local media were critical of the teenage sensation and 12-time champions China.
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