Career: Aoshen (China-CBA, 2002-04), Aoshen (USA-ABA, 2005-06).

Zhang Songtao will be in competition with Tang Zhengdong for a center reserve spot at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan. He is a pure center and has improved a lot this season playing in the ABA with the Beijing Aoshen Olympian, a team banned from the CBA two years ago which competed in an American minor league this season. He has little chances of making the team this summer because Yao Ming, Wang Zhizhi and even Yi Jianlian are better than him.

But Zhang Songtao remains an interesting prospect for the future and especially for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He is teaming with other promising Chinese players Sun Yue and Huang Haibei in the ABA.