Zhang Zhenlin — The Connector
LEAGUES OF THE WORLD — CBA China
HOMETOWN: Shenyang, China/ DOB: 28.01.99 / 6’10–220lbs / Liaoning Flying Leopards — CBA China
STATLINE 22–23: 15.1pts, 6.1rbs, 3.18ast, 1.8stl / 42.3 FG%, 34.9 3P%, 77.1 FT% / 35:59MIN in 42GP
ROLE + BANKABLE SKILL: Athletic Tweener Forward + Jump shooting & Passing/Connector
DEFENSIVE MATCHUP: 3–4, 2 to some degree.
Another season of hoops went by in China, and the Liaoning Flying Leopards won their second consecutive title in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), and the third out of the last six.
In a league where defenses take the back seat and American/foreign imports dominate a fast-paced run-and-gun offense, among the champions you will find a homegrown player who challenges that reality and has become the first-ever Chinese baller to post a triple-double in the CBA Finals. It’s no other than Zhang Zhenlin, also known as Kevin Zhang during his time in the States playing for La Lumiere, Montverde and Tulane University.
Already 24 and with three CBA full seasons under his belt, Zhang’s mix of size, skill and versatility epitomises the hopes of Chinese basketball. Lengthy and exceptionally fluid at 6’10, Zhenlin has athleticism to burn which he usually showcases with terrific dunks in the open court, and a functional and exciting jump-shot that goes back to his early High School days in USA. Shooting is in fact Zhang’s offensive go-to playtype with the Flying Leopards, especially in catch-and-shot situations (4 possessions per game at 1.22 PPP, by InStat).
However, in this piece we won’t focus on Zhang Zhenlin’s shooting prowess or study his distinctive profile in full either, but rather take a deep look at his biggest and more impressive development of late. We talk about his improved decision making and his growth as a passer and facilitator. Is there a chance for Zhang to become a proper second-side playmaker beyond this season? We think so, even if it’s in a very particular way. This could be the final piece of the jigsaw that brings another Chinese player to the NBA in the near future. It’d be the first since Houston Rockets’ legend Yao Ming.
The numbers support the story: Zhang has increased his assists-total to 3.1 per night (from 1.8) and boasts a 1.63 A:TO ratio for the year. All of it with a notable degree of usage (20.4% by InStat) but still way behind Kyle Fogg, Zhao Jiwei and Eric Moreland, the guys who see the bulk of the ball at Liaoning. It seems that Zhang has learned to make the most of his touches, and that he doesn’t need the rock in his hands that much to create for others. With such productivity and impact, could the 6’10 wing/forward qualify as an offensive connector? And what do we understand for ‘connector’? PD Web does a great job for Cerebro Sports explaining the archetype here. I won’t go deep into concepts and stats, but essentially Zhang fits the description of an uber-prolific jack-of-all-trades forward with legit shooting gravity who can consistently perform as offensive glue in a number of scenarios.
PUT THE BALL ON THE DECK
Despite being a do-it-all role-player that allows you to make adjustments on both ends and adds flexibility to the line up, Zhang’s ability to bring others into the game at 6’10 is the genuine outlier-trait that raises his ceiling in my view.
At this level, he can break into the lane for runners and dishes thanks to his solid jump-shot threat, natural balance and long steps. Zhang has the whole pack; large frame, quick feet, vertical pop and hang-time, and can find passing windows above most matchups. He’s a bit unpredictable and funky on the ball too, able to beat his man and exploit angles in particular attacking closeouts. The way he can read his man stance and front foot before he changes direction and slashes to the rack is particularly impressive. Albeit at a lesser volume, Zhang uses the same approach and a bit more of wiggle to blow by guys in isolation and early offense. Numbers and production are bound to drop in the first case though, especially during the dying seconds of the clock.
Besides these catch-and-drive options and straight line dribbles, Zhang’s creative upside shows up in ball-screens offense even if he can’t compare to the Liaoning’s lead-guards in possessions and volume. You could say Zhang’s all-around versatility limits his chances as primary initiator, but also argue that playmaking automatisms, some feel and upper-body strength are lacking here. Zhang can leverage his bounce and power off one or two feet, but he doesn’t draw a lot of contact in traffic (2.5 FT/game) or consistently dictates offense as other wings initiators in his generation do (see Guo Haowen). He still gets reps as main ball-handler (13% of his offense by InStat) and loves to get downhill via picks and handoffs keeping the dribble alive with his coordination and athleticism, squeezing between defenders and hitting teammates on the roll, at the dunker spot or the weak side.
OFF THE BALL / FEET SET
Although playing off the ball accounts just for 10% of Zhang Zhenlin’s offense, perhaps the best example of his value as a connector is when he swiftly gets into the space at the nail against zonal defenses and acts as distributor. Zhang is often given enough time and space to hit the big man down low, or use one-dribble before kicking it to the open shooter. It’s unlikely he will get so much room in a more demanding league, but his ability to pick up the right play on the spot and avoid digs and deflections is pretty intriguing. Moreover, Zhang doesn’t usually post up, but he still can operate in the paint and get incisive touches and tips with his agility and athletic tools, feeding the man in the 3pt-line or the cutter.
Zhang’s connector mindset is also on plain view when he fills in as a stationary facilitator from behind the arc. Standing on his feet at 6’10 and reading his team’s off-ball movement, Zhang can get a clean overhead entry-pass that finds the backdoor, or whip the rock around to stretch the defense. He’s a pure ball mover that keeps the offensive flow with the extra-pass and making the most his 34.9 3P% clip to pull defenders at will. He can be sharp, sometimes flashy and sometimes just safe, but most importantly, he’s able to generate advantages and clean looks all the sudden with ease. Ultimately, Zhang is skilled enough to put the ball on the floor for a single dribble if needed, so he’ll a draw a new passing lane.
In addition, Zhang has been frequently tasked with running out of bounds plays usually off of the time-out. Again his height comes handy in the inbouder role to see above the matchups and capitalize on cuts and teammates breaking free in numerous BLOB and SLOB sets. His partnership with Kyle Fogg deserves a special mention here.
TRANSITION PLAYMAKER
With his physical package, vision and handles, it’s appropriate to imagine Zhang Zhenlin at the peak of his powers in the open court. On one hand, he makes the most of his wingspan and agility jumping over passing lanes and getting a good amount of deflections and steals (almost two per night) to push the fast break. On the other, the CBA’s stylish approach and a large number of possessions against a unsettled defenses takes us even further into that territory. Forget about crowded spaces or playing through contact. It’s a catch-me-if-you-can for Zhang Zhenlin, with his straight-line speed, scoring threat, spatial awareness and unselfishness. He thrives as main motor/driver with a grab-and-go move or after receiving the ball from the rebounder, but he can also just stick to his lane as a target-man looking for the final touch. Anyhow, Zhang excels at dishing on the move with simple pitch-ahead passes, some bold no-look feeds, and exquisite thread-the-needle ones to show for it.
SUMMARY
In this piece we’ve essentially looked at Zhang Zhenlin as an offensive connector and explored the numerous avenues to fulfil the archetype. In any case, it looks obvious there’s a lot more to like about the 6’10 Chinese international besides his upgraded basketball IQ. He’s an exciting athlete, possesses a jumper that provides abundant spacing, and can shake line ups with his quickness, length and versatility. There’s an elephant on the room that needs to be addressed, though, regarding the CBA’s level and strength, but also in terms of style of play and overall defensive effort. On the back of those, does Zhang Zheling’s unique skillset translate to a tougher league? Can he still be proficient on both ends against well drilled, better and bigger opposition?
He’s well worth a punt. You can’t teach size and cant ignore a 6’10 guy who can do a whole lot of stuff and is also capable of creating buckets for others. He’s a functional passer with solid fundamentals who can be useful in complex offensive schemes given enough time and reps. The outlook and stats are appealing on their own. That being said, it’s hard to imagine Zhang Zhenlin breaking into a top-tier European league as of today for several reasons including non-basketball ones. But the Australian NBL seems the natural step forward, especially since he would get a local exception and wouldn’t count as an import for Aussie clubs. Zhang would be out of his comfort zone Down Under and hone his defensive motor, switch-ability and help D instincts while he gets some invaluable professional experience in a more demanding set up.
Eventually, the most straight path into the NBA for Zhang Zhenlin could be a return to the States via G League, arguably the preferred route by Chinese fans. He already has a Summer League experience with the Phoenix Suns on his backpack, although it was in limited minutes. In any case, Zhang’s looks well equipped to slot in a G League roster and make an impression next season, but money could probe a stumbling block as no one outside the NBA is likely to match or increase his salary in the CBA.
At 24, time and age play against Zhenlin’s dreams of NBA. It will be interesting to see if the NBA front offices are ready to test him again this summer in Las Vegas, or maybe go farther with a pre-season invite to a training camp. The incoming FIBA World Cup in Asia (Philippines, Japan and Indonesia) will probably restrict that move. However, the biggest international tournament behind the Olympics could also be a catharsis and the way forward for Zhang if he can put up a few strong performances. China will have tough rivals such as Serbia, Puerto Rico and South Sudan in its pool (Group B), and there will be plenty of opportunities for Zhang Zhenlin to showcase his intriguing profile and keep this season’s promising development and momentum going.
