By George Chan , Olivia Yuan , Alexandra Koster
A Chinese Olympian with more than five million online followers has made a winning start to life in Australia, helping the Sydney Flames to a dominant victory while drawing fresh attention to the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) from fans across China.
Yang Shuyu scored 20 points in her first home game for the Flames on Saturday, helping guide the club to a 95-68 win over the Adelaide Lightning.
But the 24-year-old's arrival is about more than one player.
Yang — who has 5.3 million followers on Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok — is one of four Chinese national team stars in the league this season, as the WNBL looks to strengthen its presence in China and reach new audiences across Asia.
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Yang joined the Flames earlier this year after building an impressive career in China.
The guard represented China at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, helping the country's 3x3 team win bronze. She was also part of the squad that won the 2023 Women's Asia Cup.
Speaking to SBS Mandarin, Yang said the move to Australia was driven by a desire to experience a different style of basketball.
"I've always wanted to play in different countries and experience different systems and styles of basketball," she said.
"I think that can help me improve."
Yang said she was already enjoying life in Sydney, both on and off the court.
"It feels great, and the weather is really nice. Everyone has been very kind to me, and I'm really looking forward to joining this big family."
The excitement surrounding Yang's arrival was evident before she even stepped onto the court.
The Flames' season opener drew the largest opening-round crowd in club history, with many supporters telling SBS Mandarin they had come specifically to watch the Chinese star play.
"We're here to watch the Sydney Flames and support Yang Shuyu," one fan said.
"We hope she plays well and we hope she enjoys living in Sydney."
Another supporter said Yang had already become one of China's most recognisable basketballers.
"She's already a star in our national team," they said.
"We hope she can make her mark in an overseas league and show what she can do."
The attention Yang generated was matched by her performance.
She finished with 20 points, three rebounds and a steal, tying with teammate Jaz Shelley as the game's leading scorer in the Flames' 27-point win.
Flames coach Renae Garlepp said Yang had already made an impression despite only recently joining the squad.
"I think she played really well, and I'm happy for her," Garlepp said.
"What's great about her goes beyond the way she plays basketball. She's fitted into the team so easily.
"She's a lovely person and genuinely wants to be a good teammate. We're very lucky to have her."
Yang's arrival also reflects a broader push by the WNBL to strengthen its connection with Chinese basketball fans.
She's one of four Chinese national team players competing in the league this season, alongside Southside Melbourne Flyers' Wang Siyu and Geelong Venom pair Zhang Wanglai and Han Xu.
WNBL chief operations officer Justin Nelson said the league had already seen growing interest from new audiences.
"Excitingly, we saw a huge rise in new fans, especially coming out to support the four Chinese national players and the high number of Opals playing this season," he said.
According to the league, opening-round attendance was up 40 per cent on last season, while social media engagement also reached record levels.
The growing interest comes as the WNBL expands its footprint in China. Last week, the league announced a broadcast partnership with Chinese media company YIDA that will make every game of the 2026-27 season available across Douyin, RedNote, Kuaishou and WeChat.
Nelson said the league hoped basketball could help build stronger connections between Australia and China.
"We hope basketball can serve as a bridge between the two countries, creating new opportunities for sporting exchange and new points of connection between Chinese and Australian cultures," he said.
Yang said she hopes to play a role in that exchange during her time in Australia.
"I'm really looking forward to meeting local fans and taking part in community events," she said.
"I also hope to bring some Chinese basketball culture here and build connections through sport."
— This story was produced in collaboration with SBS Mandarin.
