Jennifer Rashid, Center

Some interesting news from the WCBA, the Chinese league. The translated link is here:

The following players from the beginning of the first round, you can participate in the 2008-2009 special Chinese women's basketball step League:

....

Beijing: Jennifer. Rashid: 16, born in 1983, 1.91 meters, center, 80 kg;

Now who is "Jennifer Rashid"? I don't know. But Atlanta has a player that happens to be born in 1983, who is 1.91 meters tall and about 80 kg, at least according to her Wikipedia entry.

I suspect strongly that "Jennifer Rashid" is actually "Jennifer Lacy". Remember that the Chinese language is pictographic - an entire word is represented in one or two symbols, and symbols might be pressed into double duty. Perhaps Google translator decided that the glyphs that represent Jennifer Lacy's name were better translated into "Jennifer Rashid". Either that, or Lacy decided that the last season was so embarrassing that she should play under an assumed name.

What's more interesting is the position they have her playing - center. Either this is just a mistranslation, or they've moved Jennifer to the "five". Alison Bales is 6'7" and Katie Feenstra is 6'8". Erika de Souza is 6'5". For a center, 6'3" is short - Kasha Terry at 6'3" is a forward/center. I thought China was the land of tall women.