Chinese basketball player Zhang Ziyu has drawn significant attention at the Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, despite China’s elimination in the quarter-finals. The 19-year-old, who stands at an imposing 2.23 meters, was unable to prevent China from falling 90-61 to France on Thursday, but her performance has sparked considerable discussion about her potential in the sport.

Zhang’s height makes her one of the tallest female basketball players globally, and her coach, Gong Luming, has praised her as an extraordinary talent. He described her as "a once-in-a-century talent not only for our country but for the world," underlining the high expectations placed on the young athlete. At just 19, Zhang is already viewed as a promising prospect for the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) in North America, although experts note she still needs to refine her skills, particularly in running and physical conditioning, to maximize her effectiveness on the court.

To support her development, the Chinese team has implemented a specialized training program tailored specifically for Zhang, which she completes separately from her teammates before games. This individualized approach aims to adapt training methods to her unique physical stature.

Zhang’s height advantage has been striking since early childhood; she was already 1.60 meters tall at age seven, towering over her peers. Her size has presented unique challenges for opposing players: U.S. star Caitlin Clark, a key player for one of the tournament favorites, remarked last week, "I’ve never played against a woman of that size."

Despite China’s loss to the United States earlier in the competition by a score of 94-61, the U.S. team progressed confidently to the semifinals. Zhang’s standout presence throughout the tournament has nonetheless placed her among the players to watch as she continues to develop her basketball career on the international stage.