Meet the Chinese teenager already being compared to NBA star Victor Wembanyama
Cao Xichen, 14, is a towering 7ft 2in tall and has been raising eyebrows with her performances despite only taking up the game 3 months ago
China has unearthed another towering teenage basketball player who can dunk with her feet barely leaving the ground and is being compared to NBA star Victor Wembanyama.
At 14 years old, Cao Xichen is reportedly already 7ft 2in (2.20 metres) tall, a height that has forced her to give up volleyball, although that could be her new sport’s gain.
While commentators have highlighted some flaws in her basic skills, understandable given she has only been playing the game for a couple of months, the teen is said to have better conditioning and movement than another young sensation, Zhang Ziyu, who is 18 and 7ft 4in tall.
Fans got particularly excited by a viral video that showed Cao making a slam dunk while standing, spinning around defenders and shooting successfully from the free-throw line.
“It felt like the Chinese women’s basketball team has really struck gold!” one social media user wrote. “Her talent is phenomenal, transitioning from volleyball to basketball! Looking forward to her performance and hoping she can grow quickly.”
And her thin body shape and long arms had fans comparing Cao to Wembanyama, who plays for the San Antonio Spurs and was the league’s overall top pick in 2023.