China's Wang Lili (front) holds off an opponent in the 3x3 basketball women's pool round match against Japan at Tokyo 2020 on July 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Nicknamed "She-Jordan", Chinese 3x3 basketball player Wang Lili vows for revenge in the upcoming contest against ROC for a ticket to the final at the Tokyo Olympics.
By sportswriters Mao Pengfei, Ma Kai, Li Bowen
TOKYO, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Wearing red jersey No.23, she made eight shots out of nine, scoring 11 points to power China past Italy 19-13 on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of 3x3 women's basketball at the Tokyo Olympics.
Her stellar performance attracted 130 million views on Chinese social network Weibo by Wednesday morning.
Who is this rising 3x3 star? Will she lead China to grab a medal, making history in 3x3 basketball's first appearance at an Olympic Games?
"I chose No.23 because Michael Jordan is my idol," said 29-year old Wang Lili, nicknamed "She-Jordan" since her college days.
Wang (L) breaks through during the women's 3x3 basketball pool round match against France on July 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Born in a village in Jiamusi city, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Wang grew up playing basketball with boys.
"When the boys didn't have enough players for a match, they just called me from the other side of the road and I would be on the court within minutes," Wang said.
During her studies at Peking University (PKU), Wang was the core of the team that claimed the university's first Women's Chinese University Basketball Association (CUBA) league title. She was named the most valuable player (MVP) with 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals per game.
Wang (3rd R, front) poses with her Peking University teammates after winning the China University Basketball Super League, in Shenyang, China, June 27, 2014. (Photo courtesy of Peking University)
"That's how I got the nickname of She-Jordan," said Wang, who is a key player for Xinjiang in the Women's Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA) league with great shooting accuracy, powerful fast breaks and solid defense.
"I love how Jordan concentrated on the game and had the fire in his eyes - 'I will defeat you,'" she said.
In Tokyo, Wang showcased her relentlessness and rocked the court with aggressive fast breaks, suffocating defense and great shooting.
"China's No. 23 is a very good guard, very experienced and very physical. She really made me work for everything and I think offensively she came up and hit big shots. She is a very, very good player," Kelsey Plum of the USA said after a close 21-19 win over China on Monday.
Coaches are not allowed to be courtside in 3x3, so players must build their own strategy. Players must also have good reflexes, coordination and vision, as 3x3 basketball is a physically demanding sport with frequent substitutions.
"We made detailed plans for every match to meet possible contingencies, and our opponents are doing the same thing. There are always unforeseen circumstances and players must adjust their tactics by themselves. Wang has been playing an important role," China head coach Xu Jiamin told Xinhua.
Yang Shuyu celebrates China's victory over Italy in the women's 3x3 basketball pool round match on July 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
As the most experienced player and core of the team, Wang is also the most trustworthy teammate. "With big sister Lili, we are free from anxiety," said 19-year-old Yang Shuyu.
China was defeated by the ROC 19-9 in the pool round, and on Wednesday evening, they will take on the ROC again to fight for a ticket to the final.
Asked about the upcoming contest, the No. 23 gave a brief and powerful answer, "Revenge!"
