Basketball
14:17, 11-Apr-2019
China's Han Xu picked by New York Liberty at WNBA draft
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The 23rd annual WNBA Draft saw Chinese center Han Xu selected by the New York Liberty with the 14th overall pick, while her compatriot Li Yueru was taken 35th by the Atlanta Dream even though she is apparently not planning to move to the U.S. for the upcoming season.
New York, who have been runners-up four times but never won a title, chose the 19-year-old Han with the second pick of the second round. The 2.07-meter center is the second Chinese player drafted into the WNBA, after fellow big woman Zheng Haixia, who played for the Los Angeles Sparks during the league's first two seasons in 1997-98.
Zheng, also a center, was picked by the Los Angeles Sparks in the second round (16th overall) in the inaugural draft on February 27, 1997.
Han helped China win gold at last summer's Asian Games and led the Xinjiang Magic Deer to the WCBA Playoffs with averages of 16 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game.
Li helped Guangdong beat Bayi 97-81 in the WCBA final in March and also took the Asiad title in 2018 with Team China.
Han's trip to New York made her the first Chinese player to appear live at the draft show.