Jack Animam will be bringing her talent to China after signing with Wuhan Shengfan Professional Basketball Club in the Women’s Chinese Basketball Association.
In an announcement on Tuesday, the team said they are looking forward to having the 6-foot-5 Animam, who will become the first Filipino basketball player to see action in China.
“We look forward to Animam’s good performance in the WCBA,” the team said.
China will be Animam’s fourth stop following a stellar career with National University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
She previously suited up for Shih Hsin University in Taiwan, ZKK Radnicki Kragujevac in Serbia and the Toulouse Metropole Basket and USO Mondeville in France.
She recently helped Gilas Women squad to a solid stint in the 2023 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in Australia in which she put up 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals in five matches.
In their breakthrough win against Chinese Taipei, the two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist delivered 16 points on 8-of-8 shooting and 15 rebounds, enough to catch the attention of the Chinese.
“I got the call right after our game against Chinese Taipei,” Animam said.
“I said it doesn’t look realistic because it’s too good to be true. And besides, the FIBA Asia was still ongoing.”
The 23-year-old Animam said she is grateful to her Gilas teammates for making her look good against the giants of Asia.
“If it were not for them who put me in a good position, all their trust and encouragement to me, I wouldn’t get that offer. They gave me so much confidence that’s why they noticed me.”
