Han Xu dreamed of Liberty fans over the past two years away from the team. The “We want Han! We want Han!” chants echoed in her mind. New York, a city she came to when she was only 19, left an indelible mark on Han.
After falling out of the Liberty’s 2023 rotation and returning home, Han spent the past two years refining every aspect of her game in Chinese and Australian women’s basketball leagues. She got stronger, improved her mobility and learned to play with a level of physicality needed to survive in the WNBA, all so she could hopefully come back to the city that showered her with so much love.
“I missed New York so much,” Han, the Liberty’s second-round pick in 2019, said Friday. “New York’s like my home. And my dream is to play in the WNBA.”
Han plans to debut a better — and taller — version of herself Saturday in the Liberty’s preseason opener against the Indiana Fever.
Han grew two inches during her time away from the WNBA. She’s now listed at 6-foot-11, making her the second-tallest player in league history, trailing only 7-2 Margot Dydek. She also possesses a massive 7-2 wingspan.
“Have you ever seen someone 6-11 be able to dribble the ball like that and move the way that she moves? It’s unreal,” said Anneli Maley, who was teammates with Han in Australia’s WNBL last season. “She’s amazing. She’s one of a kind. … She works so hard, she just keeps going like that. So it’s like, what can’t she do? Her ceiling is so high.”
Han is coming off a Defensive Player of the Year campaign with the Perth Lynx. She averaged a league-high 2.2 blocks with 16.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while helping the team to a 16-4 record when she was there.
“I feel more confident about defense,” Han said. “I want to show the same thing [here.]”
In the glimpses of practice available to reporters, Han seems much more comfortable inviting the contact. Her outside shot is falling. She’s moving smoothly. And her teammates are taking notice.
“Hanny is always versatile,” said Jonquel Jones, who played alongside Han two years ago in the Chinese Women’s Basketball Association. “She’s always just really great for her size. You have somebody that’s so tall and can move and get up and down the floor very quickly, can make open shots, hit 3s, score on all three levels.”
The Liberty’s frontcourt depth last season took several hits because of injuries. Nyara Sabally was limited to just 17 games, Jones missed a month of action and injured her ankle twice. Breanna Stewart also suffered a bone bruise in her knee that sidelined her for a month.
Han’s arrival gives the Liberty a true backup center behind Jones. And her skill set allows her to be a complementary piece to the new system coach Chris DeMarco is implementing.
DeMarco stopped short of calling his new offense “position-less” because there’s going to be structure in each role. But a two-big lineup featuring Han and Jones isn’t out of the question.
“She’s a smart player. She has a high IQ,” said DeMarco, who watched most of her Perth games this season. “She understands the moment in the game. If her team needs her to score, she scores. She’s also a good passer. She has a high motor, so we’ve been really impressed, but it’s also credit to her for improving the way she has since she’s been here last.”
Han, now 26, joked that she’s feeling old. She returns to the Liberty this season more experienced and confident — a dangerous combination.
“I’m ready for this moment,” she said.
