Zhang Ziyu, a 17-year-old basketball player from China, has become a sensation in women’s basketball. Standing at 7 feet 3 inches tall, she made her debut at the FIBA Under-18 Women’s Asia Cup in Shenzen, China, where she amazed everyone with her skills.

At the FIBA Asia Cup 2024, Zhang was named the Most Valuable Player. She scored an average of 35.0 points and grabbed 12.8 rebounds per game. In a historic game against Japan, she scored 44 points, the highest ever in the tournament. In the finals against Australia, she scored 42 points and got 14 rebounds, helping China finish as runners-up.

Videos of Zhang dunking effortlessly over her opponents went viral, earning her comparisons to Yao Ming, a famous 7-foot-6 basketball player from China. Despite these comparisons, Zhang is just starting her career and has a lot to achieve.

Born to parents who were professional basketball players in China, Zhang grew rapidly. She was 5 feet 2 inches tall in first grade and reached 6 feet 9 inches by sixth grade—a remarkable growth spurt that has helped her excel in basketball.

Her outstanding performance at the FIBA Asia Cup has attracted attention from WNBA teams, showing her potential to play at the highest level of women’s basketball worldwide.

Zhang Ziyu’s journey is inspiring for young athletes everywhere, showing that with hard work and talent, anything is possible in sports. Her future in basketball looks bright, and she continues to make waves in the basketball world with her remarkable skills and determination.

Re-reported from the article originally published in SheThePeople.