The 6'4" shooting guard, 23, joins the Fuenlabrada squad from CB Zaragoza
With this signing, head coach Iñaki Martín adds to his roster a very young player with great potential for growth and improvement, and a highly complete scorer. Zhao arrives from Segunda FEB after averaging over 18 points per game. Additionally, the shooting guard achieved these numbers with an incredible 39.2% three-point shooting percentage. What's most impressive about this stat isn't just his high accuracy, but his high volume of attempts. The new Fuenlabrada player posted these numbers with a 59% true shooting percentage and a 55% effective field goal percentage. These percentages demonstrate that Zhao is truly a very efficient scorer.
Beyond this effectiveness, another virtue of the American-born player emerges. He is a player capable of leading and heating up games despite moments of maximum pressure. Clear examples are his matchups against Molina Basket, where he scored 29 points, including 11 in overtime, leading the decisive run. Another example is his game against Amics Castelló, where he scored 33 points with 9 three-pointers on 12 attempts.
The area where the player will need to demonstrate more is defense. Zhao is a magnificent scorer, but in the defensive department he can struggle more. Although this season with the Aragonese team he has averaged 1.1 steals per game. Additionally, his 6'4" height gives him a physical advantage over other point guards or shooting guards.
With this signing, Baloncesto Fuenlabrada has decided to bet on a player who has demonstrated great potential in his brief stint in European basketball, only this year in Segunda FEB. We'll see how these strengths translate with the step up in competition. Zhao's advantage in this regard is having Iñaki Martín as head coach, since the San Sebastián native has already proven capable of maximizing his players and, specifically, enhancing the strengths of players who haven't been able to exploit them in other situations, as was the case with Dani Manchón and Prince Ali last season.