China’s ‘Female Kobe Bryant’ Ji Yanyan sets WCBA scoring record
- Veteran player-coach put up 43 for Heilongjiang Dragons in overtime win over Tianjin
- The 35-year-old says she burst into tears hearing of Bryant’s death and that the Los Angeles Lakers star was an inspiration to her
While 35-year-old LeBron James made history with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, another veteran basketball player is making their own on the other side of the world.
Ji Yanyan became the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association’s all-time leading points scorer when she scored another 43 on Friday as her Heilongjiang Dragons side beat Tianjin 79-76.
Dubbed China’s “Female Kobe”, veteran star Ji Yanyan has been player-coach of the Daqing-based WCBA team since 2017.
While she was likened to the Los Angeles Lakers star because of her shooting form, Ji says that Bryant – who died in a helicopter crash in January – was in inspiration to her.
“Hearing the saddening news, I burst into tears. Kobe had a huge influence on me. His grit and dedication pushed me to fight until this end out of love for basketball,” Ji told Xinhua.
Ji, a pro for 16 years, starring for the Chinese national team in the process, told Xinhua that the record “means the world”. She also broke down in tears after Friday’s game, she said.