MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Lynx today announced the team has signed Shao Ting. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Shao, a 6’0″ forward from China, has played the past four seasons in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association for Beijing, including the last two alongside Lynx center Sylvia Fowles. This season, Beijing captured its second straight WCBA title by sweeping Bayi in the best-of-five championship series. Shao, 27, averaged 12.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 55.2% from the floor in 41 games this season, finishing the year as the team’s second-leading scorer behind Fowles.
Additionally, Shao is a member of the Chinese National Team, making her Olympic debut last summer in Rio de Janeiro where she averaged 9.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in five contests. Shao helped China reach the Games by tallying a team-high 13.7 points (53.6%) and 2.7 rebounds in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament earlier in the summer. She also led China to a 6th-place finish at the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women in Turkey, averaging a team-best 12.3 ppg (55.7%) and 3.1 rpg in seven outings.
Off the court, Shao is a doctoral student at Beijing Normal University, majoring in education.
The Lynx will tip off the team’s 19th season in the WNBA with their home opener on Sunday, May 14 at 6:00 p.m. at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Full-season memberships, which include tickets to all 17 home games and priority playoff seating, are still available by visiting www.lynxbasketball.com/membership or by calling 612-673-8400.