They are responsible for protection, you are responsible for stunning, the most talented athlete in Chinese basketball after Yao Ming has emerged! Zhang Ziyu
Yao Ming is recognized as the most talented player in the history of modern Chinese basketball. Now, Zhang Ziyu, who is 2.23 meters tall and only 17 years old, does have reason to become the next "peak" we have been waiting for for a long time.
Last week, Zhang Ziyu, who "bombarded" the U18 Women's Basketball Asian Cup, became popular. Born in 2007, she played in the national jersey for the first time in an international competition, and her data surpassed all the contestants. In the final, Zhang Ziyu played for 26 minutes, contributed 42 points and 14 rebounds. Although she failed to help the Chinese women's basketball team win the championship trophy, she was named the most valuable player of the tournament and was selected into the best lineup of the tournament with her teammate Xu Peilin.
Her sudden appearance has attracted much media attention. An American media outlet wrote in a report: "Considering her height and nationality, many netizens have begun to associate Zhang Ziyu with NBA legend Yao Ming."
Photo, Shenzhen, June 30, 2024, Chinese team player Zhang Ziyu shoots during the game.
On the same day, in the final of the 2024 FIBA U18 Women's Basketball Asia Cup held in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China lost to Australia 79-96 and won the runner-up.
"As long as she doesn't get injured, she will definitely make a breakthrough in the WNBA. After Han Xu and Li Yueru, there is another top inside player in the women's basketball team, and the pressure is coming for the Chinese men's basketball team." "Zhang Ziyu's performance in this Asian Cup will become a problem that the world women's basketball team will face in the next ten years"... In this U18 Women's Basketball Asian Cup, after every game of the Chinese team, video highlights of Zhang Ziyu in the game were spread all over various media platforms, and the content of all the short videos can be summarized in four words - "bullying the weak with the big."
Whether it was Indonesia, New Zealand, or Japan, the players defending Zhang Ziyu either had bitter smiles or were helpless. One media person described it this way, "They surrounded Zhang Ziyu in vain, with their hands raised high, like children whose toys were taken away by adults. New Zealand's No. 28 Gilbert even wanted to confront Zhang Ziyu, but was directly knocked to the ground, a perfect example of 'a mantis trying to stop a chariot'."
Such a huge physical advantage also made the fans very happy. They left a lot of comments in the comment area, which made people laugh. "I'll give my opponent a trick, tickle her," "O'Neal also turned into a dried fish in front of her," "There is only one way to limit Xiao Zhang, that is to change the rules: those over 2.20 meters are not allowed to participate"...
The talent displayed by Zhang Ziyu is not only reflected in her terrifying physical condition. "She can attack strongly under the basket, assist and cooperate well with her teammates. Her teammates are also actively making up for her current weaknesses in footwork. And Zhang Ziyu is smart enough. When she was interviewed in the mixed interview area recently, she had a very strong sense of collectiveness." Xu Jicheng, vice chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association, commented on Zhang Ziyu.
From the data, Zhang Ziyu's dominance is obvious. In this Asian Cup, she averaged 35 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, both the highest among all players. Except for the first half against Australia, she almost dominated the entire Asian Cup. She averaged 16 of 22.4 shots per game with a hit rate of 90.9%, and averaged 12.8 rebounds per game, including 5.8 offensive rebounds and 7 defensive rebounds per game, with an efficiency value of 42.8%.
Xu Jicheng also emphasized, "Zhang Ziyu has a characteristic, that is, the stronger the opponent, the stronger she is, which makes the fans and coaches very happy. Moreover, such a good start in the U18 Women's Basketball Asian Cup is also good for her confidence in future growth. She is only 17 years old, and the maturity period of female basketball players is between 22 and 26 years old, and then they can enter the golden age. So Zhang Ziyu has a promising future and a bright future."
Zhang Ziyu's sudden appearance was a pleasant surprise, but the coaching staff, industry insiders, and fans frequently mentioned two words: "protection". This is also reflected on the court - she always wears knee pads and calf protectors during the game, and there are dedicated people in charge of pre-match warm-up and training programs, just like her school uniform and bed when she was a child. The head coach of the Shandong Women's Basketball Youth Team even said that in order to avoid sprains and sprains, the team does not allow Zhang Ziyu to jump during the game, "because if she doesn't jump, the opponent can't touch her elbow." A fan left a message on social media: "We must protect her. We can't repeat Yao Ming's mistakes. The future belongs to Zhang Ziyu."
The protective use of Zhang Ziyu is obviously a wise move. After all, she is still in the growth stage of her career, and she lacks experience in major competitions. She needs time to adapt to the rhythm of high-intensity competitions. In such a game, the careful care of the coaching team is particularly important. Ji Minshang, the current director of competition and training of Shandong Hi-Speed Basketball Club, said in an interview: "Zhang Ziyu needs to continue to work hard on physical training and keep up with the speed. In addition, she needs to learn to protect herself and avoid injuries as much as possible. This child trains very hard. We must also keep up with the corresponding support work, including medical care and recovery. We must give her enough support. In this age group, Zhang Ziyu is the best player in Asia and the world. She has outstanding physical talent and solid skills under the basket. In a few years, with the further improvement of her technical ability and physical condition, she will have the opportunity to contribute to the Chinese women's basketball team."
