The new 2.20 giant who dunks without jumping: this is Cao Xichen, the latest jewel of China
If they believed that the ceiling of world women’s basketball had been reached with the emergence of Zhang Ziyu and his 2.26 meters, prepare to question everything you know about physique in sport. China just put on the radar Cao Xichena teenager of just 14 years old who already reaches 2.20 meters tall (according to the most recent measurements). But what is really leaving scouts dumbfounded is not just her height, but a combination of mobility and agility that places her in a different dimension than any other “giant” seen before.
Unlike Zhang Ziyuwhich dominates due to a matter of volume and static position, Cao Xichen It is the closest thing to a “unicorn” that women’s basketball has given. Recent videos of his training in Tianjin They have gone around the world: the young woman is capable of hitting the hoop almost without taking her feet off the ground, but she does it with a fluidity that is inappropriate for her size. His physical appearance, with endless arms and broad shoulders, has made the international press, including the South China Morning PostI already baptized it as the “female version of Victor Wembanyama“.
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The secret of his surprising coordination lies in his immediate past. Until just a few months ago, Cao I didn’t play basketball, but volleyball. This previous stage has given her an exceptional athletic base: lateral jumping ability, reflexes and leg power that players taller than 2.10 meters do not usually develop. While other towers suffer in quick transitions, Cao He runs the track with a naturalness that defies the laws of biomechanics for someone of his size.
As if that were not enough, this young woman’s talent is not a biological coincidence, but she has basketball in her DNA. Cao Xichen is the result of elite genetics: his father, Cao Yulong (2.01 m), was an outstanding power forward in the CBA, and his mother, Du Yuan (1.90 m), was a center for the Chinese national team and the WCBA. This heritage has not only given him height, but an intuitive understanding of the game and a bone structure designed for high performance, reducing the fear of injury that often dog these extraordinary physiques.
What is most frightening for his future rivals is that Cao It is, currently, a blank canvas. He only began his systematic basketball training at the end of 2025 after leaving volleyball. Despite having had the ball in her hands for a short time, she is already showing flashes of shooting from mid-range and a vision of the game that is inappropriate for a rookie. If you are already able to master zones by pure instinct, the room for growth you have as you refine your individual technique is simply incalculable.
It is inevitable that comparisons with Zhang Ziyu flood social networks, but the technical analysis is clear: while Ziyu It is a traditional force of nature, Cao Xichen represents the evolution of modern basketball. In a game that requires speed, defensive changes and the ability to play away from the rim, Cao He offers a versatility that could change the tactical scheme of the Chinese team for the next decade. She doesn’t just wait for the ball under the hoop; She goes out to find him and can punish from any angle.
Of course, at 14 years old, the watchword is patience. His family and coaches insist on not “burning stages” and protecting his joints while his body finishes forming. However, the phenomenon is now unstoppable. Yeah Zhang Ziyu We were amazed by what a player can do with sheer height, Cao Xichen We are going to be amazed by what a player can do when that height is combined with the soul and movements of a point guard. The future of women’s basketball is not only high; It is agile, it is fast and it has its own name.
