At 6’10”, Han Xu of the New York Liberty is the tallest player in the WNBA. However, her height is only part of the value she brings as a basketball player. Her tremendous offensive and defensive potential make her the New York Liberty’s secret weapon.
Han Xu: The New York Liberty’s Secret Weapon
Brief History
Han Xu started her basketball career in China. By the time she was 19, she represented the country in two FIBA World Championships and one Women’s Basketball World Cup. She was selected by the New York Liberty with the 14th pick in the second round of the 2019 WNBA draft. Her WNBA career got off to a slow start, as she averaged 3.0 points in 7.9 minutes per game in her rookie season. She would proceed to sit out the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to the coronavirus pandemic. Her sophomore season in 2022 saw her improve in almost every statistical category though. Following the season, she helped lead China to a silver medal in the 2022 Women’s World Basketball Cup. She put up great numbers and was selected as a Google All-Star Five. Xu now continues to play for the Liberty in her 3rd official WNBA season.
Limitless Offensive Potential
While Han Xu could use improvement in all areas of her offense, she has the ability to be a great scorer. Most notably, she can be an elite three-point shooter. Although the sample size is small, she averages a career 42.0% on three-point field goals. That is insane for someone of her size. At 6’10”, she is the tallest WNBA player and the second tallest in league history. If she attempts more threes and continues to make them, her three-point shooting can be a force to reckon with. There are very few players who would be able to contest her shots.
In addition, Xu’s height makes her a serious threat around the paint. The opportunities for her to score are endless. Whether she runs pick-and-roll, post-ups, or shoots floaters, she can be hard to stop. Here is a compilation of the various offensive moves she employed last season. Her mid-range shooting looks promising as well. If she continues to work on her skill set, she could be one of the best offensive players in the WNBA.
Hounding Defensive Potential
With great height comes great responsibility to protect the paint and rebound. These are the areas Xu desperately needs to improve upon. In 16.8 minutes last year, she averaged 3.6 rebounds and 0.7 blocks. Getting more playing time would help her improve her numbers. She has only played 3.6 minutes per game since the start of this season. With her height and reach, Xu is one of the biggest defensive threats. Just like her offensive game, the sky is the limit to the improvements and impact she can make.
Outlook: Playing Time Will Help Xu’s Development
Two seasons of Han Xu’s play were interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. This did not completely stunt her development though. She was instrumental in China’s silver medal in the 2022 Women’s Basketball World Cup. She averaged 12.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. With the right opportunity, Xu is capable of this caliber of performance and beyond in the WNBA. It is difficult for her to get extended playing time due to the incredible depth of the New York Liberty. In the meantime, she can continue to play hard on both ends of the floor. Eventually, she will be one of the most unstoppable players in the world.
