Making a big impression
China's imposing young center Zhang has huge potential, but is a work in progress
A sizable asset in the making, or a liability in transition? China's towering phenom Zhang Ziyu has turned heads at her home Asia Cup, leaving the basketball world wonder how such a unique talent could fit into the fast-paced modern game.
Standing 2.26 meters tall (7-foot-5), with her giant presence a spectacle to behold, China's 18-year-old center Zhang, dubbed "Baby-face Shaq" by fans, couldn't hide from the attention at the FIBA Asia Cup in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, where her insurmountable advantage under the rim, as apparent as her weakness in mobility, agility and conditioning, was put on full display.
Limited by head coach Gong Luming to 14 minutes of court time per game, Zhang finished her international debut at the senior level with a team-high 15.6 points on average across five games, ranking second overall after Lebanon's Rebecca Akl (16.5).
Despite being triple teamed whenever she played, Zhang proved almost unstoppable near the basket, easily posting defenders up with her bulk to score free points as long as she settled deep enough in the paint.
Her slow legs and lack of athleticism, however, took a heavy toll on her game, significantly limiting her defensive coverage and threat in offensive transition.
As currently the world's tallest professional female player, Zhang could only contribute 0.4 blocks and 5.6 rebounds per game in Shenzhen, ranking 18th and 14th, respectively, in two key stats that measure a post player's impact.
