Latest news with #ZhangZiyu
South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
China's towering teen basketball ace Zhang Ziyu stars again in Asia Cup build-up
China look set to unleash their 2.26-metre (7ft 5in) 'moving Great Wall' at the Women's Asia Cup after teenager Zhang Ziyu put in another towering display days after her debut. The 18-year-old centre scored 18 points as China beat great rivals Japan 101-92 on Wednesday in Xian in a warm-up for the regional tournament next month on home soil. It was her third appearance for the senior Chinese squad, having helped them to blowout victories over Bosnia and Herzegovina over the weekend. Chinese state media dubbed her and gangly centre Han Xu the 'Twin Towers'. Zhang's looming presence on court – footage showed her barely needing to jump to make a basket – seemed to stump Japan head coach Corey Gaines. Zhang Ziyu greets an umpire before the match against Japan in Xian. Photo: AFP Asked if he had figured out a way 'to deal' with the teenager, the American ex-NBA guard told reporters: 'We'll just say: Interesting. Very interesting.'
Malay Mail
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Move over Yao Ming, 2.26-metre teen phenom Zhang Ziyu is China's new hoop weapon
BEIJING, June 19 — China look set to unleash their 2.26m (7ft 5in) 'moving Great Wall' at the Women's Asia Cup after teenager Zhang Ziyu put in another towering display days after her debut. The 18-year-old centre scored 18 points as China beat great rivals Japan 101-92 yesterday in Xi'an in a warm-up for the regional tournament next month on home soil. It was her third appearance for the senior Chinese squad, having helped them to blowout victories over Bosnia and Herzegovina over the weekend. Chinese state media dubbed her and gangly centre Han Xu the 'Twin Towers'. Zhang's looming presence on court — footage showed her barely needing to jump to make a basket — seemed to stump Japan head coach Corey Gaines. Asked if he had figured out a way 'to deal' with the teenager, the American ex-NBA guard told reporters: 'We'll just say: Interesting. Very interesting.' Zhang hails from northern China's Shandong province and had reached 2.10m by the end of primary school. She has been likened by Chinese fans to Houston Rockets great Yao Ming. Yao, who at 2.29m was one of the tallest NBA players in history, was known as the 'moving Great Wall' before retiring from basketball in 2011 and Zhang has now taken on the nickname. Both of Zhang's parents played professional basketball. Her father, Zhang Lei, turned out for the Chinese Basketball Association's Jinan Military Region while her mother Yu Ying played as a centre for Shandong, according to local media. The teenager may have a distinct height advantage but she has been told she needs to sharpen up. Experienced centre Yang Liwei said after yesterday's win that Zhang 'could have been tougher on some shots'. 'I think she played at her normal level,' added Yang, who helped China win the Asian title in 2023. China meet Japan again tomorrow at home for another warm-up. Both will play at the Women's Asia Cup in Shenzhen from July 13. — AFP
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Move over Yao Ming, 2.26m teen phenom Zhang Ziyu is China's new hoop weapon
BEIJING, June 19 — China look set to unleash their 2.26m (7ft 5in) 'moving Great Wall' at the Women's Asia Cup after teenager Zhang Ziyu put in another towering display days after her debut. The 18-year-old centre scored 18 points as China beat great rivals Japan 101-92 yesterday in Xi'an in a warm-up for the regional tournament next month on home soil. It was her third appearance for the senior Chinese squad, having helped them to blowout victories over Bosnia and Herzegovina over the weekend. Chinese state media dubbed her and gangly centre Han Xu the 'Twin Towers'. Zhang's looming presence on court — footage showed her barely needing to jump to make a basket — seemed to stump Japan head coach Corey Gaines. Asked if he had figured out a way 'to deal' with the teenager, the American ex-NBA guard told reporters: 'We'll just say: Interesting. Very interesting.' Zhang hails from northern China's Shandong province and had reached 2.10m by the end of primary school. She has been likened by Chinese fans to Houston Rockets great Yao Ming. Yao, who at 2.29m was one of the tallest NBA players in history, was known as the 'moving Great Wall' before retiring from basketball in 2011 and Zhang has now taken on the nickname. Both of Zhang's parents played professional basketball. Her father, Zhang Lei, turned out for the Chinese Basketball Association's Jinan Military Region while her mother Yu Ying played as a centre for Shandong, according to local media. The teenager may have a distinct height advantage but she has been told she needs to sharpen up. Experienced centre Yang Liwei said after yesterday's win that Zhang 'could have been tougher on some shots'. 'I think she played at her normal level,' added Yang, who helped China win the Asian title in 2023. China meet Japan again tomorrow at home for another warm-up. Both will play at the Women's Asia Cup in Shenzhen from July 13. — AFP
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Moving Great Wall': China unleash towering teen basketball star
Zhang Ziyu shakes the hand of an umpire prior to the game against Japan (-) China look set to unleash their 2.26m (7ft 5in) "moving Great Wall" at the Women's Asia Cup after teenager Zhang Ziyu put in another towering display days after her debut. The 18-year-old centre scored 18 points as China beat great rivals Japan 101-92 on Wednesday in Xi'an in a warm-up for the regional tournament next month on home soil. Advertisement It was her third appearance for the senior Chinese squad, having helped them to blowout victories over Bosnia and Herzegovina over the weekend. Chinese state media dubbed her and gangly centre Han Xu the "Twin Towers". Zhang's looming presence on court -- footage showed her barely needing to jump to make a basket -- seemed to stump Japan head coach Corey Gaines. Asked if he had figured out a way "to deal" with the teenager, the American ex-NBA guard told reporters: "We'll just say: Interesting. Very interesting." Zhang hails from northern China's Shandong province and had reached 2.10m by the end of primary school. Advertisement She has been likened by Chinese fans to Houston Rockets great Yao Ming. Yao, who at 2.29m was one of the tallest NBA players in history, was known as the "moving Great Wall" before retiring from basketball in 2011 and Zhang has now taken on the nickname. Both of Zhang's parents played professional basketball. Her father, Zhang Lei, turned out for the Chinese Basketball Association's Jinan Military Region while her mother Yu Ying played as a centre for Shandong, according to local media. The teenager may have a distinct height advantage but she has been told she needs to sharpen up. Advertisement Experienced centre Yang Liwei said after Wednesday's win that Zhang "could have been tougher on some shots". "I think she played at her normal level," added Yang, who helped China win the Asian title in 2023. China meet Japan again on Friday at home for another warm-up. Both will play at the Women's Asia Cup in Shenzhen from July 13. mya/oho/pst
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Who is Zhang Ziyu, the teen basketball player who is already over 7 feet tall?
Image: Imagine walking into a gym and spotting someone who's literally head and shoulders above everyone else—by two feet. That's Zhang Ziyu: a 17-year-old Chinese basketball prodigy towering at a jaw-dropping 7 ft 3 in (2.20 m) who's become the internet's latest obsession. Born on May 1, 2007, in Jinan, Shandong Province, Zhang was always destined to stand out. With both parents being former pro players—her dad around 7 ft and her mom a tall 6′ 6″ center—it wasn't a surprise when Zhang shot up. By first grade, she was 5 ft 2″, and by sixth grade, she stood a stunning 6 ft 9″. She literally towered over her classmates, and her height became her superpower on the court. At just 14, during a National U15 Championship, she dominated—and didn't slow down, later exploding for 68 points and 24 boards in provincial play. — NBA_NewYork (@NBA_NewYork) "Most valuable player" Then came 2024's FIBA Under-18 Women's Asia Cup in Shenzhen—her global breakout. In her international debut, Zhang stunned everyone by scoring 19 points on a flawless 9-of-9 shooting performance, adding seven rebounds, three blocks, two steals, and two assists in just 13 minutes. Fans on X (formerly Twitter) were stunned: 'Zhang Ziyu is a cheat code'. Highlight reels of her effortless dunks and towering presence went viral worldwide. 'Female Yao Ming'? Well, kind of Comparisons to Yao Ming—China's legendary 7 ft 6″ NBA Hall of Famer—came fast and furious. At 7′ 3″, she's currently the tallest female basketball player on record, even taller than ex-pro Margo Dydek and current WNBA star Han Xu. Sure, her height gives her an edge, but there's more to Zhang Ziyu than just length. She's got skills—and a grounded mindset paired with an enormous heart. That combination makes her story not just about stats, but about potential. Fans see a future force in women's basketball who's not just tall, but smart, expressive, and already field-savvy. Her dominance isn't just about size; coaches praise her high basketball IQ, soft hands, footwork, and defense. Zhang Ziyu is a once‑in‑a‑generation baller with stats that read like video game cheat codes. She balances raw athleticism with basketball savvy and kindness. Social media loves to call her 'the cheat code,' 'female Yao Ming,' or even 'the next Wembanyama'—and after seeing those highlight tapes, it's hard not to agree.
