Caitlin Clark is accustomed to being one of the smaller athletes on the court.
However, facing off against the towering Zhang Ziyu from China was a completely different experience.
“This was a different type of basketball game than I probably ever played in my entire life,” Clark remarked after the U.S. team kicked off the FIBA Women’s World Cup with a 94-61 victory over China. “I’ve never played against a woman of that size.”
At a height of 7-foot-3, Zhang is impossible to overlook. The 19-year-old dominated the scene, literally towering over everyone else on the court.
She is a remarkable 10 inches taller than the American team’s tallest player, Aliyah Boston.
Zhang’s impressive stature fundamentally changes how opponents can defend against her, almost like a child trying to compete against their parent in a casual game at the park.
When she establishes herself in the post, she becomes nearly impossible to guard.
A video showing 6-foot-4 Angel Reese struggling to find position against Zhang circulated on social media before the game concluded due to the striking height difference.
Another image captured 6-foot Paige Bueckers looking up at Zhang during a break in play.
Despite her advantages, Zhang is still in the early stages of her development. While her height certainly offers her a distinct edge, she is still figuring out how to effectively utilize her size.
In the match, Zhang contributed a solid 13 points, with nine of those coming from free throws. Additionally, she recorded six rebounds and blocked two shots.
“She obviously presented some challenges for us, but you got to give our post players a lot of credit,” Clark commented. “They really battled, and Coach Kara (Lawson) encouraged them before the game to be more physical, to try pushing her out of the paint. If she scores a few points, stay resilient; I thought Aliyah came in and gave us great minutes guarding her.”
Zhang gained attention for her impressive performance at the 2024 U18 Women’s Asia Cup and is eligible for the 2027 WNBA Draft. While it’s still too early to predict her draft position, as many factors could change in the next few years, her potential is certainly exciting.
If she continues to advance her skills, Zhang could become the tallest player in WNBA history, surpassing the previous record of 7-foot-2 held by Margo Dydek, who played in the league from 1998 to 2008. Currently, her teammate Han Xu is the tallest player in the WNBA at 6-foot-11.
If Zhang refines her shooting touch, passing ability, and defensive skills, she may attract significant interest as a compelling draft prospect.
“She’s a wonderful player, and you can see how young she is,” Lawson noted. “It’s evident she’s still growing and learning how to play, leveraging her size effectively. When she gets close to the basket, it’s hard to stop her.”
Zhang’s height is striking, and if her other skills catch up, it may be challenging for teams to overlook her in the first round of the draft.
“There’s a lot of potential with her; she’s still very young,” Lawson said. “But being this young and competing in a World Cup against top players is only going to aid her growth. I believe if she keeps developing, there’s definitely a spot for her.”
