China’s Han Xu pulls out of 2020 WNBA season’s roster

New York, May 27 (IANS) Promising Chinese women’s basketball player Han Xu will not feature in the 2020 WNBA season due to uncertainties brought about by COVID-19 as the New York Liberty has trimmed its roster to 12 players.

Han, 20, was drafted 14th overall by the Liberty in 2019, becoming the second Chinese female basketball player to join the WNBA through the draft, reports Xinhua news agency.

She appeared in 18 games averaging 3.0 points and 0.8 rebounds during her rookie campaign, setting her scoring record with 12 points against the Connecticut Sun on August 30, 2019.

“In light of game scheduling changes in her home country due to COVID-19, Han is unable to report for the 2020 WNBA season,” the club, on Tuesday, said in a statement, expecting the promising post player to return in 2021.

Han had played for the WCBA side Xinjiang before joining the Liberty. She helped China claim the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games.

Apart from Han, French guard Marine Johannes will also remain out of the US for the 2020 season and join the team in 2021. The Liberty made another roster movement by waiving forward Reshanda Gray.

–IANS

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