Liberty 2023 Player Preview: Han Xu
The New York Liberty are set to embark upon one of the most anticipated seasons in franchise, if not WNBA, history. Fresh off consecutive playoff appearances, the Liberty made several moves that have some observers labeling them a "superteam" that could yield the organization's first championship after over two decades of waiting.
All Knicks will have coverage of the Liberty's quest for WNBA hardware as tip-off looms on Friday night in Washington (7 p.m. ET, WWOR/NBA TV) before the Brooklyn opener against Indiana two days later. With the opening-night roster officially unveiled, AK will feature play-by-player previews leading into the weekend.
Things get international in our next preview with Han Xu ...
Name: Han Xu
Height/Weight: 6-10, 193 lbs.
Country: China
Experience: 3rd season
The Story So Far
When you're 19 years old, 6-foot-10 and the first Chinese-born player drafted since the first incarnation of first-year selections, you're going to stand out. Han had trouble doing that in the early going: while her late-game entrances caused fans to shake the aging Westchester County Center to its very foundation, Han struggled to create any sort of consistent role and was more-or-less a 12th woman during her rookie year.
The COVID-19 pandemic and international commitments kept Han out of American basketball for the next two seasons and she initially appeared to be destined for further closing efforts upon her return. But while her game wasn't fully honed (her speed and build perhaps needing work), Han displayed some great promise upon her return.
Han carried through on the potential displayed through her work with the Chinese national team efforts (which included silver medal showings at the FIBA Asia Cup and Women's Basketball World Cup, not to mention a fifth-place finish at the 2020 Olympics). She more than doubled her rookie averages in nearly every major statistical category and displayed a newfound propensity to play toward the top of the key. Han accepted a qualifying offer in February to remain in New York.
They Said It
"I've got to focus on my defense...my defense needs to get better. I hope my blocks can be two a game...I want to get more rebounds. In some games, I had no rebounds, and that's crazy ... In the World Cup, I think I showed what I can do. On defense, my blocked shots and my rebounds were in the top five ... I want to bring up my young humans, learn from my old teammates, and grow up every day."-Han on her 2023 goals
"She won a silver medal at the World Cup, where she was instrumental player. I think a lot of that success she had the World Cup was due to the success and things that she learned here last year. She's playing faster and she recognizes things faster ... I still think she she has to catch up to the speed a little bit more, but, considering everything she's doing, she's doing very well."-Liberty assistant coach Olaf Lange
Outlook
It's great to see that Han has proven adaptable and willing to play at the top of the key, which should help her in a battle for minutes behind Jonquel Jones to the accomplished Stef Dolson and the lauded rookie Nyara Sabally. But it'd be foolish not to use player of her size for her conventional strengths, especially with her third WNBA season looming.
The best part of the matter is that Han is not only well-aware of the conception around her current WNBA skillset but she's playing with the trademark joy often present on the bench and in her social media excursions throughout the city.
"When I was 19, everything was new," Han said of her first American endeavor in 2019. "My language was not good. I was nervous every day, I watched my teammates. I was very sad I couldn't play on the court. When you're on the court, you do your best...I think before, I was thinking too much. Now I enjoy my basketball."
Previous Previews
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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