It looks like Yao Ming may have some competition for the title of China’s tallest basketball player. Zhang Ziyu, who just turned 18 last month, is currently the tallest female professional player in the country. Standing at an official height of 2.26 meters (7’4″), she is just three centimeters shy of Yao Ming’s 2.29 meters (7’5″).

On June 13, Zhang made her debut with the Chinese national women’s basketball team, led by head coach Gong Luming, in a 101–55 win against the Bosnia and Herzegovina teams. With an arm reach just 10 centimeters below the standard hoop height of 3.05 meters (10 feet), Zhang boasts remarkable shooting accuracy.

Zhang is set to play in the upcoming FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in July, and she’s already dominating the field in warm-up matches, scoring 16 points and grabbing 4 rebounds in under 9 minutes during a 93–61 victory against Japan.

Zhang first captured international attention last year at the FIBA Under-18 Women’s Asia Cup. While China didn’t win the championship, Zhang was named MVP thanks to her staggering per-game average of 35 points and 12.8 rebounds. At that time, she stood a few centimeters shorter at 2.20 meters (7’3″), but that was already enough to tower head and shoulders above other players.

Zhang comes from Jinan, Shandong Province, a northeastern region known for people taller than the national average. Women in Shandong average around 1.70 meters (5’7″), a number higher than in some Scandinavian countries. In addition to her height advantage, Zhang comes from a basketball family, with both her parents being professional players. She started training at just 8 years old, and by sixth grade, she had already surpassed 2 meters (6’7″).

The FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, held every two years, will take place in Shenzhen from July 13 to 20 this year. The tournament will feature teams from China, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, and Lebanon. Since the competition began in 1974, China has consistently placed in the top three—except in 1999, when they finished fourth. China claimed the championship again in 2023, and with Zhang Ziyu now on the roster, expectations are high for another strong performance this season.

Catch Zhang Ziyu in full action below as she breaks the record at the U18 Women’s Asia Cup, racking up an incredible total of 44 points.

Cover image via Weibo.