Ren Huanzhen

Ren Huanzhen (1950s – August 14, 2014) was a renowned Chinese female basketball player, originally from Changyi, Shandong Province. She began training in basketball during her youth, and at age 15, she attended the Hailar Railways Sports School in Inner Mongolia to study basketball. The following year, at age 16, she was selected for the Tianjin Railway Sports Club basketball team. In 1962, due to the disbandment of national industry basketball teams, members of the Beijing Basketball Team and teams from coal mines and power companies, including her, were absorbed into the Beijing national team. Under the guidance of the renowned coach Wang Yuanqi, her basketball skills improved significantly.

Standing at 1.88 meters tall, Ren Huanzhen became the center of the Chinese women's national basketball team. She was selected for the national team in 1971 and represented China in numerous domestic and international competitions, achieving excellent results. From 1973 to 1978, she served as the center for the Beijing women's basketball team, and in 1975, as a key player, helped the team win the women's basketball championship at the Third National Games. Throughout her career, she made multiple overseas visits and participated in international matches for China, contributing to the development of women's basketball in China.

Regarding her family, Ren Huanzhen's mother was a center for the national women's basketball team, and her father was Wang Weijun, a former key center for the Beijing men's basketball team. Wang Weijun once stated during pregnancy that, regardless of whether she had a son or daughter, they would continue to pursue basketball. Her son, Wang Zhizhi, born in 1980, is a basketball player over two meters tall. He began studying at Beijing Sports School in fourth grade and was later admitted to a well-known basketball team. After gaining recognition domestically, Wang Zhizhi went abroad to the NBA in the United States in 2002, becoming the first Asian player in the NBA. After four years overseas, he returned to China in 2006.

Ren Huanzhen passed away on August 14, 2014, at the age of 69. She left an important mark in Chinese basketball history and is highly regarded for her influence and recognition.