Team USA may be the runaway favorites in the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup in Berlin, but head coach Kara Lawson believes they have to get over a very tall opponent in China's Han Xu before they can think about dominating the entire tournament.
On Friday, Team USA will be squaring off against China, which features the New York Liberty center who stands 6-foot-11. With A'Ja Wilson out of the roster due to injury management, it would be a real challenge for them to keep Xu's 7-foot-3 wingspan in check.
However, WNBA analyst Sabreena Merchant believes they still have the answers to Xu's huge size.
During her appearance on the "No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show" on Thursday, Merchant pointed out a couple of things that Team USA could do against China.
"I was like, 'wait a second, you can't start Phee and Stewie' because you can't start Stewie at 5, or can you? I don't really know, especially against a Chinese team that has 6-foot-11 Han Xu. Like, maybe you can't just put Stewie against her and trust that, like all of their time in New York , she knows exactly what to do against her. I have a lot of [questions]," Merchant said .
If Lawson can shuffle the cards right, they might not have to worry about Xu's massive size, especially since they have plenty of personnel that could square up against the Liberty center, who was averaging 6.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game in 40 appearances for New York.
Fans are already familiar with Han Xu due to her exploits with the New York Liberty, but she's not the only one they have to worry about once the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup tips off, as she's joined by Dallas Wings center Li Yueru , who stands 6-foot-7 tall.
Apr 25, 2026; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Indiana Fever forward Monique Billings (25) drives past New York Liberty center Han Xu (21) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
However, the literal towers that would be placed in front of Team USA don't end there, as China still has another ace up its sleeve in the form of 19-year-old Zhang Zhiyu, who is listed at 7-foot-4.
Ziyu's expected to be one of the top picks in the 2027 WNBA Draft, which will immediately make her the tallest player in WNBA history if and when she joins the league.
Team USA would have to find a way under these towers, as the tallest player on their roster is Aliyah Boston , who stands 6-foot-5.
They may be small in size, but with plenty of superstars from the WNBA like Caitlin Clark , Paige Bueckers , Angel Reese , and Kelsey Mitchell all in their squad, Team USA head coach Kara Lawson will surely be able to find a solution or two against China on Friday.
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Apr 25, 2026; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Indiana Fever guard Justine Pissott (13) shoots the ball while defended by New York Liberty center Han Xu (21) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
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