In the recently concluded 2024 Mannheim Basketball Invitational Tournament, although the Chinese U17 men's basketball team ended up in tenth place with a record of 1 win and 5 losses, a new star in the team has attracted widespread attention with his outstanding performance. The brilliant performance of 17-year-old forward Zhang Boyuan on the court has made him a ray of hope for Chinese basketball.
Zhang Boyuan contributed an average of 20.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in this invitational tournament, and the three-point shooting rate reached 38.1%, becoming the scoring champion of the Chinese U17 men's basketball team. Standing at 2.03 meters tall, he has shown exceptional attacking talent in the forward position. Last year, Zhang Boyuan rose to prominence in the U16 Asian Youth Championship and helped the Chinese national youth men's basketball team win the bronze medal.
In the series of warm-up games preparing for this summer's U17 Men's Basketball World Cup, Zhang Boyuan's performance was particularly prominent. Especially in the game against the German U17 men's basketball team, he scored 28 points and 10 rebounds, and made free throws in the last minute to help the Chinese team win 63-62. This match was just a microcosm of what he did in the invitational tournament, as he scored 32 points against Egypt and 27 against Italy.
Zhang Boyuan's basketball talent and skills are reminiscent of Chinese basketball star Ding Yanyuhang. Ding Yanyuhang was once the MVP of the CBA League, and his offensive ability was undoubted, but frequent injuries caused his career to be frustrated. Zhang Boyuan's scoring ability and domineering on the court indicate that he has the potential to surpass his predecessors.
Although Zhang Boyuan did not choose to study abroad like some players of the same age, his performance in China is enough to be expected. He averaged 20.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in last year's Asian Youth Championship and was named to the All-Star team. In the competition between Changchun Sports School and Jilin Experimental Middle School, Zhang Boyuan also showed dominance.
Chinese men's basketball coach Li Xiaoyong has a very high evaluation of Zhang Boyuan, and he hopes that by playing against strong teams, the team can recognize the gap, find the right direction, and make up for its own shortcomings. Zhang Boyuan's rise has undoubtedly added a lot of hope for the future of the Chinese men's basketball team, and if he can continue to improve his skills and physical fitness, he will definitely shine on the international stage in the future.