There’s already a lot of excitement about the 2027 WNBA Draft. JuJu Watkins, Madison Booker, Hannah Hidalgo, S’Mya Nichols, Mikaylah Williams, and MiLaysia Fulwiley could all be available. Outside of the college ranks, 19-year-old Ziyu Zhang may be the most fascinating international prospect.
Ziyu Zhang is 7’3”. For comparison, the tallest active WNBA player this season is Han Xu at 6’11”. Her height alone makes the teenager a fascinating draft prospect, but she is also continuously learning how to use her size and strength best. She could quickly become a problem WNBA coaches will try to solve for years if she lands with a rebuilding franchise that can grant her the time to develop.
Even if she isn’t ready to come to the W immediately, holding her draft rights could become invaluable a few years down the road. We’re in a golden age of guard play, but teams will also need plenty of length to combat Dominique Malonga, Awa Fam, Kiki Iriafen, Lauren Betts, and Shakira Austin, among others, for the foreseeable future.
Zhang has held up well against top-end, older talent on the international stage recently. She scored 20 points in 19 minutes and grabbed 11 rebounds against Emma Meesseman and the Belgian national team at the World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Wuhan earlier this year. She was also the second-leading scorer at last year’s Asia Cup despite her youth.
The World Cup will be a new test for the youngster and give WNBA teams another look at her against top-tier competition and players she would regularly have to go up against in the W.
China and the USA will face off early
China, the U.S., Czechia, and Italy make up Group D for the tournament in Berlin this month. China will be Team USA’s first opponent in the group stage. They will face off on September 4 at 1:15 PM local time.
Losing A’ja Wilson, who will unfortunately miss the World Cup due to health issues, for a matchup with China’s massive frontcourt is less than ideal. With Aliyah Boston, Napheesa Collier, Kiki Iriafen, Angel Reese, and Breanna Stewart Team USA’s roster still features a ton of frontcourt talent. However, that group is rather undersized against Han Xu, Li Yueru, and Ziyu Zhang. Boston is the tallest Team USA player at 6’5”. Moreover, Boston, Iriafen, and Reese are all making their debut on one of the biggest international stages.
While Team USA’s pure talent at every position should still give the Americans an edge, it should be a fun and competitive game.
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