Averaging 18+9+4! China’s Women’s Basketball Unveils a 21-Year-Old, 1.84m Rising Star – The New Li Meng in the Making?

The opening stage of the 2025 China Women’s Basketball National Championship has tipped off in electrifying fashion, with Jiangsu Women’s Basketball setting the tone early. Riding a wave of confidence and sharp execution, Jiangsu powered through three consecutive blowout victories. At the heart of this success is 21-year-old forward Sun Yu, who has stepped into the spotlight as the team’s primary scorer—surpassing even WCBA All-Star center Xu Chenyan. Standing 1.84 meters tall, Sun Yu briefly joined the China women’s national team training camp earlier this year. That experience, though short-lived, seems to have ignited her confidence and raised her game to a new level. Across the first three games, Sun Yu has delivered stellar numbers: 18.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 3.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game, shooting an efficient 57.1% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc. Her well-rounded game has made her indispensable—scoring, defending, and facilitating with equal impact. In Game 1, Jiangsu crushed Beijing 92–34, with Sun Yu going 10-for-16 from the field, finishing with 22 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 6 steals, and a block. In Game 2, she posted 16 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 3 steals in a 114–37 rout of Shaanxi. In Game 3, she led her team with 16 points and added 8 rebounds in a 72–46 win over Shandong. Sun Yu is a product of Jiangsu’s youth development system. In 2021, she helped Jiangsu’s youth squad win the National Games youth championship. The following year, she represented China in the U18 Women’s Asian Cup, showcasing her potential on the international stage. With Jiangsu’s senior roster crowded at the forward spot, she was loaned to Wuhan in the WCBA to gain valuable experience. This year, she starred in the U22 National Games qualifiers, guiding Jiangsu to a perfect 5–0 record and securing first place in Group A. In the decisive showdown against Sichuan, Sun Yu erupted for 34 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, outdueling Sichuan’s star Ran Kejia, who herself scored 31. Ran Kejia, a key member of China’s U19 squad and the World Youth Championship rebounding leader, is already entrenched in the national training camp. Jiangsu teammates Luo Xinyu, Wang Xinyu, and Wu Mengjie are also in the current setup. Sun Yu, too, had a taste of the big stage when she was called into the senior training camp in Beijing before the Women’s Asia Cup. Unfortunately, her stay was brief, and she didn’t make the final roster. Still, that experience clearly sharpened her skills and mindset. During the Asia Cup, China fielded four small forwards—Luo Xinyu, Zhang Ru, Jia Saiqi, and Zhai Ruoyun—but none managed to truly fill the void left by star forward Li Meng. At 24, Sun Yu still has youth on her side, and at 1.84 meters, she combines size, mobility, and a growing offensive arsenal. Her rapid progress suggests she could very well be a strong candidate to carry Li Meng’s mantle in the years ahead. As Jiangsu continues its dominant run, all eyes will be on Sun Yu—the rising star who might just be the next great hope for Chinese women’s basketball.