https://www.scmp.com/rss/524523/feed The latest news and top stories on Zhang Ziyu. An 18-year-old Chinese basketball prodigy, she stands at an imposing 7ft 5in, earning her the moniker ’Moving Great Wall’. Known for her agility and offensive prowess, she was named MVP of the 2024 FIBA Under-18 Women’s Asia Cup. Having made her senior national team debut in June 2025, she has already impressed with dominant performances, showcasing exceptional scoring, rebounding, and blocking abilities. Her background includes a family of... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Mike Chan Mike Chan China get another chance to qualify for the Fiba Women’s Basketball World Cup this week, and will have home fans roaring them on. Gong Luming’s side will play five matches in seven days in a six-team tournament in Wuhan and need to finish in the top three to reach September’s tournament in Berlin. An opener against Mali on Wednesday will be followed by ties against the already qualified Belgium, South Sudan, the Czech Republic and Brazil at the Wuhan Sports Centre Gymnasium. Centre Han Xu, a key... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3345988/chinas-big-four-back-another-shot-reaching-womens-basketball-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3345988/chinas-big-four-back-another-shot-reaching-womens-basketball-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:27 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan China has unearthed another towering teenage basketball player who can dunk with her feet barely leaving the ground and is being compared to NBA star Victor Wembanyama. At 14 years old, Cao Xichen is reportedly already 7ft 2in (2.20 metres) tall, a height that has forced her to give up volleyball, although that could be her new sport’s gain. While commentators have highlighted some flaws in her basic skills, understandable given she has only been playing the game for a couple of months, the teen... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3343662/meet-chinese-teenager-already-being-compared-nba-star-victor-wembanyama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3343662/meet-chinese-teenager-already-being-compared-nba-star-victor-wembanyama?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 01:19:25 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Chinese fans and commentators have not taken Saturday’s shock loss to Japan in the Fiba Women’s Asia Cup well, and former favourites Zhang Ziyu and Han Yu are bearing the brunt. Formerly hailed as “phenomenal” and the “twin towers” of the team, the pair were among their side’s leading scorers in the 90-81 semi-final loss in Shenzhen, with 17 and 18 points respectively. But those points came on their worst shooting nights of the tournament, where teenager Zhang made 50 per cent of her attempts,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3318889/furious-chinese-fans-turn-teen-zhang-ziyu-ex-wnba-star-han-after-shock-loss-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3318889/furious-chinese-fans-turn-teen-zhang-ziyu-ex-wnba-star-han-after-shock-loss-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Jul 2025 04:27:11 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer From the moment she stepped onto a basketball court, China’s 7ft 5in (2.26 metre) centre Zhang Ziyu has been a viral sensation. Footage of the “moving Great Wall” towering above her opponents – teammates passing her the ball before she simply places it in the net with barely a jump – has become a common occurrence since she burst on to the scene a year ago. Being an imposing presence on the court is one thing, but being able to turn it into team success is another. At best, Zhang will claim a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3318873/zhang-ziyu-chinas-strategic-nuclear-weapon-verge-medal-senior-tournament-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3318873/zhang-ziyu-chinas-strategic-nuclear-weapon-verge-medal-senior-tournament-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Jul 2025 00:00:17 +0000 Sammi Chan Sammi Chan China’s up-and-coming basketballer Zhang Ziyu made her senior team debut in a warm-up match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in June. Many named Zhang the new “moving Great Wall” for her agility and outstanding offensive abilities. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3316954/chinas-moving-great-wall-basketballer-makes-senior-team-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3316954/chinas-moving-great-wall-basketballer-makes-senior-team-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 10:00:15 +0000