Chinese basketball star with 5.3M followers draws record crowd to Sydney Flames
Olympic guard Yang Shuyu scored 20 points in her first home game for Sydney, drawing the Flames' largest opening-round crowd.
Yang Shuyu, a Chinese Olympian with 5.3 million Douyin followers, made an instant impact in Australian basketball on Saturday. The 24-year-old guard scored 20 points in her first home game for the Sydney Flames, helping them beat Adelaide 95-68.
Yang tied teammate Jaz Shelley as leading scorer. Yang won bronze with China's 3x3 team at the Tokyo Olympics and was part of the 2023 Women's Asia Cup squad.
The Flames' opening-round crowd was the largest in club history, with many supporters coming specifically to watch Yang. Yang's arrival is part of a broader WNBL push into China, with four Chinese national team players in the league this season.
Opening-round attendance was up 40 per cent on last season.
- 5.3 million
- Yang's Douyin followers
- 20
- Points in first home game
- 95-68 over Adelaide
- Sydney Flames margin
- 4 this season
- Chinese national players in WNBL
Why it mattersYang's arrival signals a shift in how Australian sport connects with Asian audiences, and shows the WNBL can tap into massive new fan bases through star players.
AustraliaThe WNBL is building direct ties with Chinese fans and broadcasters, potentially growing the league's reach and profile while strengthening Australia-China cultural exchange through sport.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
