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Zhang Ziyu impressed during her debut for the Chinese national basketball team, with 18 points and 7 rebounds in just 13 minutes against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

She is 220 cm tall, and many refer to her as the tallest woman in the world. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the record for tallest woman belongs to Rumeysa Gelgi. She is measured at 215 cm.

Physical superiority on the court arouses both fascination and concern; if she avoids injuries, she could influence international playing strategies.

Zhang Ziyu impressed during her debut for the Chinese national basketball team, with 18 points and 7 rebounds in just 13 minutes against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

She is 220 cm tall, and many refer to her as the tallest woman in the world. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the record for tallest woman belongs to Rumeysa Gelgi. She is measured at 215 cm.

Physical superiority on the field arouses both fascination and concern; if it avoids injuries, it could influence international playing strategies.

The summary is created by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality-assured by NRK journalists before publication.

The summary is created by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality-assured by NRK journalists before publication.

– The potential is, just like her physique, enormous.

That’s according to Stig Omland, who knows the most about basketball. He is part of the basketball podcast “Time Out” and has previously been a basketball expert on TV 2.

Omland is one of many who have been fascinated by China’s great basketball talent.

For many, the right-handed 18-year-old made his A-team debut in China’s training match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

According to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), Ziyu is 220 centimeters tall. That is five centimeters taller than Rumeysa Gelgi from Turkey, who is the tallest woman in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records.

Ziyu was thrown into the practice match in the first half – and it would turn out that she was a head above everyone, in the truest sense of the word.

She scored eight goals in a row and finished with 18 points in total in just 13 active minutes of play. In that short time, she also managed to grab seven rebounds. China won the friendly game convincingly 109–50.

– You open your eyes

– You open your eyes.

– It’s almost boring. Because there’s such a huge physical difference between her in terms of height compared to pretty much all the female basketball players she meets. It’s a terribly boring form of basketball, but you open your eyes wide when you see her, says Omland.

IMPRESSED: Stig Omland is primarily amazed by the height of the Chinese 18-year-old.

In the match, she showed physical superiority and several of her opponents only reached her chest height.

Now the fans, the press and the teammates are all raving about the high-flying teenager.

– Her performance impressed us. I hope to play more with her.

That’s what her teammate Han Xu said, according to the Spanish newspaper. Xu is also among the tallest female basketball players in the world. She stands 2 meters and 11 centimeters above the ground.

For comparison, the average height of a WNBA player is 185 centimeters.

WNBA

LOUD: Zhang Ziyu and her teammates in an U18 match in 2024.

ACTIVE: She has little or no problem taking the ball down.

SCORING MACHINE: And when Ziyu is under the curve, it’s a short way to points for the 18-year-old.

A head start over your opponent

This is far from the first time the basketball world has been looking for a 220-centimeter (7-foot-3) woman. Ziyu also made headlines in 2024 when she made the China U18 team.

Then she went viral in the match against Indonesia in the FIBA Age-Restricted Asia Cup. She was named the best player in the tournament thanks to a scoring average of 35.

The picture shows Ziyu putting the ball in the basket without jumping and towering over her opponent by one or two heads.

– They have to change everything

Now China’s national team coach, Gong Luming, is asking basketball fans to exercise restraint.

– Her potential is enormous, but we cannot rush her development.

That’s according to Luming, according to CGTN Sports Scene. They describe themselves as China’s only English-language sports TV program.

Omland is also on the same wavelength as the Chinese national team coach.

He doesn’t believe a new basketball star has been born and warns against back and knee injuries to the 18-year-old because of her height. Still, he believes she will become a phenomenon.

– If she avoids injuries, it is likely that such a type of player will change how other national teams have to play when they face China. They have to change everything, says Omland, who draws parallels to how NBA teams had to change their playing style when they faced Shaquille Rashaun “Shaq” O’Neal at 2 meters and 16 centimeters.

GIANT: “Shaq” quickly became known for his height, here in conversation with Nate Robinson when they played for the Boston Celtics. The picture is from 2010.

“Inherited” height from mother and father​​​​​​​​

height from mother and father

Ziyu made her debut on the basketball court at the age of 14 in the Chinese national championship for her age group. She recorded an incredible 42 points, 25 rebounds and six blocks in the final.

She can probably thank her mother and father for her incredible height and talent. Her mother Yu Ying is 1.98 meters, while her father Zhang Yuquan was measured at 2.13 meters.

Both were committed to basketball for a long time, but neither reached the level that their 18-year-old daughter has already reached.

Now it remains to be seen how far Ziyu can reach. The first chance to show themselves properly internationally is during next year’s World Cup in Italy and France.