It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve checked in on how WNBA players are doing in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association. Last time, we spotlighted marquee players Han Xu, Chennedy Carter and Olivia Nelson-Ododa. Today, we’re going to circle back and discuss some of the players we talked about at the start of the WCBA season and see how they’re doing.
Cheyenne Parker (Zhejiang)
Good ball movement again!
Now I’m officially a fan of both Zhejiang and Cheyenne Parker!
Cheyenne Parker seems the only foreign player that has been fully integrated into a system while most teams still rely too much on their foreign player. pic.twitter.com/u6kII2uTOR
— Chinese Women’s Hoop Show (@YifengLi) November 15, 2023
Cheyenne Parker has taken her great 2023 WNBA season and has translated it to the WCBA as part of the Zhejiang. She’s not putting up monster numbers and playing hero ball—she’s fitting into a role and playing impactful minutes for a good team. She recently had an efficient scoring night, scoring 15 points in 15 minutes of action and helping her squad best Liaoning, 82-60.
We already know how good Parker is in the W, but getting these extra reps during the offseason will likely allow her to hit the ground running when the WNBA returns in the spring.
Alyssa Thomas (Shanxi)
Alyssa Thomas tonight:
45 MIN | 15 PTS | 21 REB | 5 AST | 6 STL
Final: Jiangsu 65-61 Shanxi (OT)
She almost managed to help pull off an upset against a title contender. Unfortunately, her teammates had an off night shooting threes.#WCBA | @ConnecticutSun
— Chinese Women’s Hoop Show (@YifengLi) December 6, 2023
The last time we updated Alyssa Thomas’ play in China, she was a bit banged up, and there was uncertainty regarding her health. Well, she’s been just fine and has been playing extraordinarily well for Shanxi. Just last week, she had 15 points and 21 rebounds in an overtime loss to Jiangsu, proving that, despite the loss, her team can compete with the league’s best if she is at her best and her teammates can do just a bit more offensively.
Thomas is already a superstar and has nothing left to prove, but it’s fun watching her play overseas.
Satou Sabally (Shandong)
You can make the argument Satou Sabally is the best player in the WCBA. She has been on a tear, putting up monster numbers and scoring at will. Her recent performance of 33 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists helped lead Shandong to an 89-69 blowout win versus Fujian. Sabally already is a superstar in the States and in her native Germany; hopefully, performances like these only give her more notoriety on a global scale.
Key takeaways
With the WNBA Draft Lottery over and done with, we slowly are inching closer to the start of the WNBA season. In the meantime, keeping up with what’s happening in the WCBA, EuroLeague Women and NCAA will hold us over until the W returns.