Young, talented and ambitious, meet China's Zhang Zhenlin

NEW ORLEANS (USA) - As a basketball powerhouse nation, China has provided multiple paths for aspiring youngsters to develop into successful players.  Whether it is through the youth academies or programs in local schools, colleges, and universities, China has been able to produce talented youngsters time and again to supply their national team talent pool. Even then, there will still be some players looking to blaze a trail their own way to another level.

Meet Zhang Zhenlin, or Kevin Zhang, a 2.08M (6’10”) sophomore playing in the NCAA Division 1 at Tulane University.

I really want to do something that people haven’t done, - Zhang Zhenlin”

The forward impressed in his first year with the Green waves, playing 22.5 minutes per game for averages of 6.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per contest. He’s already gaining much buzz as a 20-year-old and Chinese fans are already highly anticipating his Team China debut, whenever that moment will come.

 

It is hardly a surprise that Zhang has developed to become one of the most promising young prospects in Chinese basketball today. Zhang was born into a basketball family filled with players who have succeeded in various competitive levels of the sport, most notably his mother.

Zhang’s mother, Wang Fang, was regarded as one of the in her era with a long list of accomplishments in the national team jersey. She was a star in the 90s for China, winning silver medals in both the Barcelona 1992 Olympics and the World Cup 1994 in Sydney. Even after her playing days, Wang continued to impact the basketball scene as a coach, highlighted by a 4^th place finish for China at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Zhang recalls his mother taking him to practices as a little kid and encouraging him to just keep on shooting the ball, even though his shots couldn’t even reach the rim. Not only can his shot reach the rim nowadays, but Zhang himself can also even leap up to reach the rim by himself to slam the ball through the hoop.

There was no doubt that Zhang was on his way to extend the basketball tradition in his family. However, he wanted to do it his own way.

 

“I wanted to be different. I wanted to take my own path,” Zhang said, as reported by Will Guillory of The Athletic. “I wanted to see another part of the world and play against the best.”

So through the connections from his mother, Zhang joined the United States Basketball Academy and attended high school in the United States on the recommendation of academy President, Bruce O’Neil.

As one can imagine, Zhang needed time to adjust as a 14-year-old transitioning to live in a country contrast in culture, tradition, and language. When he arrived at La Lumiere, his new high school, he started from barely speaking the language and even had to drastically change his expectations on what “breakfast” looked like, as per The Athletic.

Fortunately for Zhang, he was close to someone who had been (and still is) in a similar situation: Wang Quanze.

Wang, or Michael Wang, was born in Shanxi, China. Like Zhang, he had a desire to prove himself and play in the States, so he moved to California when he was 14 years old and went on to play high school basketball at Mater Dei in South California.

Similarly, Wang shined brightly enough to get on the NCAA radar and is now playing for the University of Pennsylvania. Moreover, Wang has already played and starred for the youth Chinese national teams at both the U18 Asian Championship and the U19 World Cup in recent years.

Since both were going through similar situations early on in high school, the two reconnected and helped each other go through trying times.

“We had no one to talk to because nobody could really relate to that situation. It was just kind of me and him at times,” Wang said, as told to The Athletic. “We had a lot of conversations about that, but we’re both mentally strong guys so we just talked through it and gave each other support.”

“That was the main thing we always told each other,” Wang also added. “As long as we got in our work in the gym, everything else would take care of itself.”

So Zhang put in the work and things started taking care of themselves.

He had the great opportunity to rapidly improve his game by not only playing against high-level talent but also playing with them, too. At La Lumiere, Zhang was teammates with FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2016 champion Jaren Jackson, who went on to be a 4^th overall pick in the NBA in 2018.

Though Zhang might have regularly been on the wrong end in the matchups between the two in practice, it seems like they were only getting the best out of each other to become the best players they can be.

"Usually when we play 5-on-5, I will guard him and he will guard me," Jackson said, as told by Kevin Wang from ESPN. "He's got me a couple of times, and I've got him a couple of times. He plays me to my limit every time we play each other."

"The biggest takeaway for me is that there are many good competitors here, and many who are better than me," Zhang said. "I have improved my skills as well as my passion for the game."

“I really want to do something that people haven’t done,” Zhang said. “I want people to remember me. It’s hard sometimes — it can get really tough. But I always remember how many people believe in me and want me to reach my goals and that makes me keep going.”

 

There aren’t many Chinese basketball players following the path that Zhang (and Wang) are blazing. However, with the relative success that he has experienced, there might be an expected rise in the future.

Don’t be surprised if you see more and more kids from China follow Zhang’s route in basketball.

"Kevin is a model for the future of China basketball," Bruce O'Neil said as per ESPN. "As more and more top young players follow in his footsteps; the quality will improve. As the many thousands of players have matriculated from Europe into the American school system and basketball competition and training methods over the past 40 years, the quality of the sport throughout Europe rivals the USA. China can do the same."

O’Neil also mentioned the rise in the number of Chinese youngsters enrolled in the U.S. Basketball Academy this past year.

“They all want to be like Kevin,” O’Neill said, as per the Athletic. “He’s got a lot of kids following him and he’s got a lot of people following him on social media on a daily basis back in China. They’re looking at him as possibly the future for their careers.”

“You’re going to see big results on the world stage,” he added.

The signs are already here.

This past summer, Zhang was reported being part of China’s 20-player training camp leading up to the World Cup as former China national team head coach, Li Nan, gushed over his talent and athleticism during those weeks. It was an experience that Zhang will cherish himself, as well.

“I have come to be a part of this team and I will definitely go all out,” Zhang said during the training camp. “Whether or not I make this team, we’ll have to see. It is a great honor to be with friends and my big brothers. If I make the team, I will play my best. Even if I don’t make the team, I will come out to cheer and support my brothers.”

Though he didn’t make the cut, he impressed fans during warm-ups and short spurts of playing time in exhibition games and have them looking forward to whenever his official debut will be.

Zhang might not have taken the most conventional path to rise in the basketball scene of China, but the future looks bright for the young forward.

FIBA