Yi Jianlian, NBA prospect

[Noodles]

What do you guys think about this 7 footer from China in the upcoming NBA draft? He’s projected as the 6th pick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tleJXe8fMy4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6plJTvMW04

[kimtae]

He'll be a power forward unless he gains some real size. Looks like he can run and he has a sky hook as well as some mid-range. We'll have to see though, he's a young man and the verdict on him won't be in for another 4 or 5 years.

[Heyyu]

Well I'm a huge basketball fan, and I've actually seen Yi Jianlian play live (I watched his Chinese team play Brazil, Croatia, and Slovenia). He's pretty athletic, much more athletic than Yao. However, the dude is too skinny. I don't even think he'll be able to play PF cause he lacks strength. He's best in an open-court style game where he's running up and down the court... which is completely opposite from Yao, who can't really run that well and is more of a half-court player. I'd like to see a team like Phoenix draft Yi Jianlian, where I think he'd do better in their up-tempo game.

[LowFrequency]

It shouldn't be much of a problem for him to gain some size. Look at Yao when he first came into the league, and look at him now. Yao has become a certified beast.

Expect a few years for Yi Jian Lian to get comfortable with the NBA's physical play, after which he could potentially be a nowitzki/pau gasol type player.

[Noodles]

As much as I like hearing about more asians entering the NBA, I can't wait for the day that an asian player, raised in the states, makes it. I'm really surprised and disappointed why that hasn't happen yet. Even in Division I college, you don't really hear of any.
To me, these foreign players don't really represent us asian-americans, or misrepresents us, in the terms of basketball.

[LowFrequency]

Us asian americans are at a huge disadvantage. There are only a few million of us. Versus a few billion asians elsewhere.

[Noodles]

That's a pretty good point...So which NBA teams are you pulling for in the upcoming playoffs?

[Liang]

I think he has a great shot to make it. Yeah he is too skinny as of now to be a feared player in the NBA, but a few years under a good strength training program will fix that. I like his athleticism and his competitive attitude. There's one video on Youtube showing him dunking on Gasol, and he looked ready to rip someone's head off.

[LowFrequency]

That's a pretty good point...So which NBA teams are you pulling for in the upcoming playoffs?

I gotta go with my boy Yao.

[Ike]

I gotta go with my boy Yao.

Woo! Houston!

[Noodles]

I would like to see Yao go deep in the playoffs, but I doubt that will happen. The west is too strong. Houston would have to go thru Utah and most likely the Mavs to reach the finals.
I'm rooting for Phoenix and Miami. Unfortunately I found out today that James Posey got a DUI, which could have an impact of the Heat.

[RebelAzn]

People said he is skinny but he is like 20. 23 or 24 at most if his age is wrong. At 20, most kids are skinny. Remember Yao when he first came to this country? Now Yao is the strongest guy on the Houston Rockets. Yao can bench 310 lbs. That's pretty damn good. I benched 350 Lbs when I was 195 Lbs so there is hope for Yi.

Check out this article on Yao:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/chris_ballard/04/10/yao.ming0416/

[kimtae]

There's no guarantee that he's going to put on weight. It's just a matter of wait and see. I hope he does bulk up but plenty of tall guys have entered the league and not gotten any bigger five years on. We'll see. He's got talent but the NBA is full of guys who have talent. Can he rise above to the elite echelons? That's a different story.
I never like to see people get so hyped over a kid who's done nothing to prove himself. Remember John Williams (not Hotrod, the other fat kid from LSU) who was supposed to be the second coming of Magic? He turned out to be the biggest bust ever. Remember Ralph Sampson? He was supposed to be the second coming of Kareem. Several injuries later he was just an underweight 7' 4" reserve who could pop from 18' for 2 minutes a game. We'll see about Yi but even Yao had to come in and prove himself, Yi is no different. Save the hype for when he's had a couple of strong NBA games. Until then, he could be a player who lives up to the hype like Alonzo, Kobe, and Shaq or he could wind up another over-hyped under-performer like Gugliotta, Lloyd Daniels, Eric Montross, Danny Ferry, Christian Laetner, Juwan Howard, Sam Bowie (if you recall he went #2 over Jordan), etc...
For now let's just suffice it to say Yi is a very interesting prospect but another Yao, time will tell.

[RebelAzn]

There's no guarantee that he's going to put on weight. It's just a matter of wait and see. I hope he does bulk up but plenty of tall guys have entered the league and not gotten any bigger five years on. We'll see. He's got talent but the NBA is full of guys who have talent. Can he rise above to the elite echelons? That's a different story.
I never like to see people get so hyped over a kid who's done nothing to prove himself. Remember John Williams (not Hotrod, the other fat kid from LSU) who was supposed to be the second coming of Magic? He turned out to be the biggest bust ever. Remember Ralph Sampson? He was supposed to be the second coming of Kareem. Several injuries later he was just an underweight 7' 4" reserve who could pop from 18' for 2 minutes a game. We'll see about Yi but even Yao had to come in and prove himself, Yi is no different. Save the hype for when he's had a couple of strong NBA games. Until then, he could be a player who lives up to the hype like Alonzo, Kobe, and Shaq or he could wind up another over-hyped under-performer like Gugliotta, Lloyd Daniels, Eric Montross, Danny Ferry, Christian Laetner, Juwan Howard, Sam Bowie (if you recall he went #2 over Jordan), etc...
For now let's just suffice it to say Yi is a very interesting prospect but another Yao, time will tell.

Dude I understand your negativity. Same people said about Yao. How Yao was going to be a bust etc. Yao has established himself to be the top center in the NBA today through hard work. Will he stay there? Maybe maybe not. Yao is not flashy, but he can be dominating when he is not double or triple teamed. There is no one in the NBA that can stop him one on one.

Yao said Yi plays like Amare Stomsmire. I would be happy if Yi is close to Amare. Yi is very athletic and he can do some monster jams. He moves like a SF at 7 feet tall. Who knows how good he can be. I am just glad another Asian kid will get a chance to play in the NBA. Basketball is getting real popular in China right now and there are several kids that can play in the NBA. I hope the 17 years old PG will come out. The kid is quick as cat and he plays fearless like Iverson. Not saying he would be as good as Iverson, but he already impressed the NBA guys who played against him and he is only 17 or 18.

[kimtae]

I'm not being negative, I'm just an old man and I've seen a lot of wunderkinds come and go.

[RebelAzn]

I'm not being negative, I'm just an old man and I've seen a lot of wunderkinds come and go.

Yeah sure but Yi will have to represent a billion people and that my friend is a lot of pressure. If he works half as hard as Yao, he will go somewhere. He has a friend and a role model in Yao he can look up to. In addition, every move of his will be monitored by the Chinese media. Basketball is getting bigger and bigger in China now due to Yao, and there will be plenty of players out of that country. American players said 10 years ago they would dominate in Chinese leagues are now saying the game has improved so much now they have to work real hard to win anything.

Yi represents new breed of Chinese kid that can ball. There are PLENTY of tall Chinese kids in China and it is matter of time more will develop into gamers like Yi.

I am for one real glad to see more Asians playing basketball. Like baseball, we will make our mark soon or later.

[AZN MAN]

There's no guarantee that he's going to put on weight. It's just a matter of wait and see. I hope he does bulk up but plenty of tall guys have entered the league and not gotten any bigger five years on. We'll see. He's got talent but the NBA is full of guys who have talent. Can he rise above to the elite echelons? That's a different story.
I never like to see people get so hyped over a kid who's done nothing to prove himself. Remember John Williams (not Hotrod, the other fat kid from LSU) who was supposed to be the second coming of Magic? He turned out to be the biggest bust ever. Remember Ralph Sampson? He was supposed to be the second coming of Kareem. Several injuries later he was just an underweight 7' 4" reserve who could pop from 18' for 2 minutes a game. We'll see about Yi but even Yao had to come in and prove himself, Yi is no different. Save the hype for when he's had a couple of strong NBA games. Until then, he could be a player who lives up to the hype like Alonzo, Kobe, and Shaq or he could wind up another over-hyped under-performer like Gugliotta, Lloyd Daniels, Eric Montross, Danny Ferry, Christian Laetner, Juwan Howard, Sam Bowie (if you recall he went #2 over Jordan), etc...
For now let's just suffice it to say Yi is a very interesting prospect but another Yao, time will tell.

The draft is risky biz, and Yi is a risk (PC term is Project).

In the NBA, can he:

Adjust to the speed and athleticism?

Develop into an effective post player or will he shy away from contact?

Defend in this league?

Add the necessary strength to bang in the post?

Find a position to play? If so, what is it - 4 or 5?

Display the mental and physical toughness required to succeed?

Avoid injuries which will stunt his growth potential?


Thus far only 1 Asian has enjoyed success at the NBA level - don't get too excited about Yi yet. What he needs to do is schedule NBA workouts and attend some pre-draft camps to gauge his current skillset and to determine whether he has potential NBA game.

Until then, he could be a player who lives up to the hype like Alonzo, Kobe, and Shaq or he could wind up another over-hyped under-performer like Gugliotta, Lloyd Daniels, Eric Montross, Danny Ferry, Christian Laetner, Juwan Howard, Sam Bowie (if you recall he went #2 over Jordan), etc...

To be fair, Bowie suffered debilitating leg injuries while at UK which impacted his overall ability even before he was drafted. Before his injuries, his talent on the college level was intimidating to opposing players and I thought he was better than both Ralph Sampson and Patrick Ewing. Had he remained healthy, he had the potential to be one of the best centers to ever play in the NCAA and in the NBA. He could play back to the basket, facing the basket, was a good individual and help defender, could play uptempo or half-court, had impeccable timing for blocking shots, and had a very high hoops IQ.

[RebelAzn]

Yi has played against Americans in summer camp as well as in international competition. Duke coach said he can definitely play in the NBA.

I am sorry, but a 7 footer who can move like a guard just don't grow on trees. Obviously it will take a few years for Yi to adjust to the NBA, but he definitely has the athleticism to make it. BTW, he is not afraid of contact but he definitely has to put on some weight.

Check out this video of him playing against Paul Gasol (China vs. Spain)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-nfAJJJV_M

Yao Ming recently said his game is like Amare Stomadire. Since Yao is Yi's teammate on the China national team and he has played Amare many times, I would trust his judgment over most of the Internet fans.

He is projected to go #5. Suns would be an ideal place for his game.

[Noodles]

AZN MAN brought up some good points on what Yi will be facing in the NBA. Yi may be fast and athletic, but now he'll be facing guys just as fast, tall, and stronger.

I think there are alot of mental aspects of going to the NBA that Yi will have to deal with too. Yi may have the skills and talents to succeed, but will he be mentally tough enough?

Look at Darko Milicic, he had the size and skills but he was a bust. Why did he fail? I think we also have to consider the cultural aspects of the transition as well. New country, different language, customs, and different way of life.

[RebelAzn]

Here is some info about him from ESPN:

Yi Jianlian
Power Forward (Rank: #4) | 7-0, 230 | Age: 19
China ()
Hometown: Shenzhen, China
You are signed into Insider and have access to the exclusive draft content below.

Draft Projection: Top 10
Jianlian Yi

Yi's skills just might be too good to keep him in Guangdong.

Notes: Yi's team, the Guangdong Tigers, announced in November 2006 that Yi will be released to enter the 2007 NBA Draft. While he's listed as being born in 1987, many scouts believe that he's actually born in 1984 making him 23 ... not 19. That's a big difference in NBA development terms. Is averaging 24.8 ppg, 11.4 rpg while shooting 57 percent from the field for the Guangdong Tigers this season.

Positives: A long, athletic forward who is very skilled. He has long arms and big hands, which allows him to play even bigger than he actually is. Excellent shooter and ball handler. Fundamentally very sound. Excellent basketball IQ. Has really improved his rebounding. Hard worker.

Negatives: Needs to add strength, especially to his upper body. Needs to play more physically. Needs to work on his post-up game. Not a great shot blocker. More of a face-the-basket type of four.

Summary: Yi is the best international prospect in the draft this year. He has a ton of experience playing in international competitions and at the highest level in China. Given his upside and size he's a lock for the Top 10 pick who could go as high as No. 3 according to several NBA executives.


Some people compare him to Toni Kukoc, but I like his game more to like Dirk cause he is way more athletic than Toni. I hope he works hard and open the way for more Chinese basketball players. Ballers are popping out of the woodwork now in China because of Yao. It is amazing how one guy can make such a difference in the development of basketball in the entire country.

[theme]

i think the skepticism is warranted. a lot of highly ranked prospects come into the league only to fizzle because they can't adapt.

the best thing for yi is if he doesn't get too hyped up so he can concentrate on nba type of game and improve at HIS pace. Don't let these scouting reports get to his head.

[RebelAzn]

i think the skepticism is warranted. a lot of highly ranked prospects come into the league only to fizzle because they can't adapt.

the best thing for yi is if he doesn't get too hyped up so he can concentrate on nba type of game and improve at HIS pace. Don't let these scouting reports get to his head.

He is Chinese. I doubt he would get all those things get to his head. I know he has big brother Yao looking out for him and give him plenty of advice so it is a good thing. Yao kicked ass in the playoff so far.

[zhangfei]

http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/k/p/2007-05-01/U338P6T12D2901485F44DT20070501145203.jpg

http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/k/p/2007-05-01/U338P6T12D2901484F44DT20070501145200.jpg

http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/k/p/2007-05-01/U338P6T12D2901483F44DT20070501145155.jpg

Yi's agent has hired coaches, trainers, a chef and an English teacher for him. He has been working out hard in L.A. 5 to 6 hours a day.

[zhangfei]

2007 NBA DRAFT | MOCK DRAFT ver 3.0
HoopsWorld - May 13, 2007
The top of this summer’s class is obviously Yi Jianlian, a seven-foot Chinaman whose skill set has been likened more to Dirk Nowitzki’s than Yao Ming’s.

Chinaman? don't they know the term is offensive?

[ivexplorer]

If you read the You Tube comments for Yi, you will notice all the Asian slurs.
Another example of Whitey trying to keep the yellow race down! In fact read the comments for anyone asian on youtube, and you will see the same thing. Pacquiao, Ichiro, Dice-K, etc.

The same thing happens to black people to. Its ok for blacks to be running backs and offensive linemen, but when a black quarterback comes into the league all the white people hate on him by saying he isn't smart enough to play the position. How much you wanna bet that when Yi comes into the league, people will say he is weak or timid. Or that he lacks aggressiveness.

[RebelAzn]

If you read the You Tube comments for Yi, you will notice all the Asian slurs.
Another example of Whitey trying to keep the yellow race down! In fact read the comments for anyone asian on youtube, and you will see the same thing. Pacquiao, Ichiro, Dice-K, etc.

The same thing happens to black people to. Its ok for blacks to be running backs and offensive linemen, but when a black quarterback comes into the league all the white people hate on him by saying he isn't smart enough to play the position. How much you wanna bet that when Yi comes into the league, people will say he is weak or timid. Or that he lacks aggressiveness.

Its never too early easy being the 1st or the 2nd. He gonna have to prove himself. If he is top 6, he gonna have to learn fast.

[RebelAzn]

Read for yourself. The dude is on his way to the NBA.

05/18/2007 9:15 AM - Chad Ford spends some quality time with Chinese basketball star Yi Jianlian and comes away amazed.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Five years ago, China's gentle giant, Yao Ming, came into the NBA surrounded by wonderment and mystery.Fans on both sides of the Pacific couldn't get enough of Yao's smile, old-school charm and stereotype-smashing size. He was unique -- we had never seen a ballplayer quite like this, a 7-5 center with refined skills. We had certainly never seen a player like this from China.Even after watching Yao dominate in international competition, many NBA GMs and talent scouts weren't convinced. Yes, some thought Yao was the next Shaq. But others were thinking Michael Olowokandi.Since then, Yao has gone on to become perhaps the best traditional center in the NBA. His game has improved steadily and remarkably every year. He is a cultural icon in both the U.S. and China. With more than a billion people in the basketball-crazed nation of China, it seemed likely someone would follow in Yao's footsteps.That time is now.Yi Jianlian is here.Yi is a top prospect and he's 7 feet tall, but he's not a center like Yao. In fact, as draft prospects go, he's more like Kevin Durant than he is like Greg Oden.For the past few months, a number of NBA general managers and scouts who have followed Yi closely have said he's the third-best prospect in the draft. But for many others around the NBA, he remains a mystery.Earlier this week, I spent two days with Yi, watching him in the gym and hanging out with him around town, to see for myself what had created such intrigue in NBA circles.What did I find?For better and for worse, but mostly for better, Yi represents a new generation of Chinese players more influenced by Allen Iverson and Tracy McGrady than by Yao Ming.CHINESE GUYS CAN JUMP. Several top draft prospects are working out in Los Angeles, including Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer of Florida and homegrown star Nick Young of USC.But for the past four days in L.A., as I traveled from gym to gym, the chatter wasn't about two Gators or a Trojan.Yi, who has been living in L.A. for the past month, has been making the rounds and earning awe and respect everywhere he goes."Have you seen the Yi kid yet?" Young's trainer Don MacLean said after I watched him work out Young and Jason Smith on Saturday. "That kid was amazing.""The dude can play," Young chimed in. Then, with a wide grin, he proudly declared he had dunked on Yi in a workout. "When you see him play, you'll know how impressive that is."Different gym, same buzz. At the Home Depot Center, trainer Joe Abunassar interrupted a discussion of the players he's training to say, "Wait until you see Yi. There isn't a drill I could come up with that Yi couldn't excel at."Noah was giving love, too. "Where did that guy come from?" Noah asked when I asked him about his workouts with Yi. "That's something to behold."That "something to behold" walked into the Velodrome at the Home Depot Center at around 11 o'clock on Tuesday to unveil the mystery.It was worth the wait.After a brief warm-up, Yi began his shooting drills. He rarely missed. He got great elevation on his picture-perfect jump shot -- high release, elbow in, nothing but net from both inside and outside the 3-point line.Nevada's Nick Fazekas, a draft prospect known for his shooting stroke, followed suit on the set shots, but started to lose ground to Yi once the players moved to shooting off the dribble. For Fazekas, the accuracy started to waver a bit. The needle didn't move for Yi. And Noah? His shaky jumper found the basket, but his form looked even worse when he was matched up in shooting drills with Yi and Fazekas. Yi handled the ballhandling drills with the same aplomb. He got low to the ground, showing impressive balance and control on spin moves to the basket. Fazekas could do some of that too, but at a pace far slower than Yi. Noah kept up the pace with Yi, but without the consistency. Noah was all over the place, for both the good and the bad.None of this came as a shock, given the basketball system in China. Yao likewise showed an amazing set of fundamental skills when he crossed the Pacific. Since he was 15 years old, said Yi, he's been put through five-hour daily practice sessions. Noah, in contrast, said he taught himself how to shoot and never really knew there was anything funny about his shot until he exploded onto the scene as a sophomore at Florida.As we saw again in the playoffs this year, for all his skill, Yao Ming lacks NBA speed, agility and explosiveness. Yi, on the other hand, is reputed to be a good athlete -- fast and bouncy. But until now, that rep has been based primarily on what he's shown against lesser players in China.So what's he got? One way to find out was to see him next to Noah, a very athletic big man. Could Yi keep up?It didn't take long to get the answer. After the shooting drills were over, Yi, Fazekas and Noah went through a drill in which they took the ball at the top of the key, cut right or left, were given one dribble and then had to finish around the basket.While Fazekas labored to get to the rim from that distance, Noah had no problem, as expected. He finished every time with either a finger roll at the rim or a dunk. Yi's performance was more surprising. I had to change angles to make sure it wasn't an optical illusion.As Yi finished at the rim, his elbow was often at or just below the rim. His elbow. Whether he kissed the ball high off the glass or finished with a dunk, his explosion off the floor was impressive. Not impressive like Tyrus Thomas, mind you. But for a 7-footer, he could really explode.Yi continued to impress in full-court sprints, flying up and down the court. His pull-up shots around the basket looked nearly impossible to block, thanks to his impressive 7-foot, 4½-inch wingspan.He also possesses great lower body strength, which should help him hold his position on the post. His upper body appeared to need work, but given his good frame and the progress he had already made in his daily workouts, it appeared that he was well on his way to filling out. At 246 pounds, Yi is nearing his prime playing weight.Whether in the post, on the wing, or in the open floor, Yi looked as impressive in workout conditions as any elite NBA draft prospect I've come across in the last five years.Purely in terms of talent and tools, I have no doubt he's the third-best prospect in the draft.BUT CAN HE PLAY?Is Yi ready for NBA competition?This is a more difficult question to answer. I didn't see Yi do anything but drills in the two days I watched him. His workouts made clear that his athleticism and skill level are at the NBA level. But as I've learned from somewhat painful experience over the years, what a player does in a workout doesn't always translate to a 5-on-5 basketball game.I've seen him play about a dozen games on tape from China. In some, he's been dominant. In others, he's been a little disappointing.A number of NBA general managers and scouts flew to China to watch Yi's Guangdong Tigers play in the Chinese Basketball Association finals, and they came away with mixed feelings. He clearly did not play his best, and questions about his motor, aggressiveness and toughness have been raised.That concern should be tempered by the fact that he's listed as 19 years old. However, some say he might be 21, and some say he's even older. There's an ongoing question about what Yi's true age is, because there was a time when his birth year was listed as 1985 before later being listed as 1987.What does Yi say? He points to a passport that says his birth year is 1987.Regardless of his age, his production suggests he won't just be a workout wonder. He scored 24 points per game (on 57 percent shooting) and pulled down 11 rebounds per game this season in China.That puts him in contrast to past draft prospects such as Nikoloz Tskitishvili. Before going fifth in the draft, Tskitishvili had barely played competitive basketball at all, and he was evaluated almost entirely on workouts. Yi has been playing and excelling, both in China and in international competition. He impressed everyone with a 13-point, seven-rebound game against Team USA last year at the World Championship. But that was just one game.

[RebelAzn]

That question -- can he play? -- remains a significant one. But there's another concern floating around, too.IS HE READY?Yao Ming's success in the NBA has been based, in large part, on his amazing mental toughness. The demands placed upon him, on the court and off, are unique and exhausting. Can Yi handle the same stresses and strains, the weight of the world?Yi already has the Chinese media camped at his doorstep. In China, 14-year-old girls scream for him on the streets. An entire nation is waiting to see if he can fill the footprints of a national icon.It's heavy stuff.Two days weren't enough to learn everything about Yi, but what I saw was an individual who amazed me with the speed with which he adapted to the U.S. and the NBA way of life. That process has taken years for Yao Ming.Yi already conducts interviews and conversations in English, meaning he won't need an interpreter following him and translating his every utterance. He takes English classes every night to improve, but his skill is already pretty impressive.Yi is already independent. He drives on his own in L.A., finds his own restaurants and hits the nightlife, including red-carpet walks for the movie premieres of "Spider-Man 3" and "Shrek 3."He listens to hip-hop music and jokes around with American players. He plays video games and dresses like a young star, with the requisite Sean John jeans and Jumpman shirt.The decision by his agent, Dan Fegan, to bring Yi to the U.S. early so he could get acclimated before training camp should pay off big on the court, too. His daily workouts include lessons from NBA players and a former NBA assistant coach on what he can and can't get away with in the league.When the 2007-08 season comes around, Yi will have a big head start in the acculturation process. He's already comfortable, it seems, with a life full of basketball, media appearances and travel.He also has a sense of humility about the whole thing, with great respect for Yao. But he doesn't want to be Yao. He has his own game, his own style and his own dreams.Now, if only Yi can land in a place as nurturing as Houston was to Yao.If he can find the right home (as I discuss in today's blog entry), Yi has the potential to be every bit the star Yao is, both in America and abroad. But if he doesn't land in the right place, all of his enormous basketball potential might not translate to NBA success.That makes Yi the biggest risk/reward player in the 2007 NBA draft.Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.


He gonna be huge if he can play and be good in the NBA. He gonna get whole new generation of Chinese players jack up for the NBA. The kid is athletic and can jump out of the gym.

[AZN MAN]

It's nice to see an undrafted guy from China get ink on Espn.com, but sadly this is all hype. This was written by a journalist, not a basketball guy. While I honestly would like to see Yi be successful, he only has limited Intl experience and the NBA game is way different.

The hype machine was in full force in previous years for names such as Darko Milicic, Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Harold Miner, Kwame Brown, Darius Miles, Jonathan Bender, etc. Although I could add a myriad of names to this list, none of these guys I mentioned has made much of an impact at the NBA level, if at all.

NBA Team Personnel add to the hype as well; this is a popular tactic designed to mask the plans of their respective teams. I remember Jerry West telling the press that Glenn Big Dog Robinson was a franchise player and that he'd love to get him into a purple & gold uni, yet secretly he was trying to acquire the rights to draft Grant Hill.

Just pray for the best; I will.

[RebelAzn]

I totally understand where you are from. Hype is definitely in full force and I am sure will be until the draft day. This is the biggest and deepest draft in a long long time so there are a lot of good players. That being said, I am already impressed in the fact that a) he speaks English pretty well b) He is already accustom him to the American lifestyle c) He is driving by himself in the USA already d) He will be attending summer camp so that will be huge.

As for NBA guys, they will never make any comment on a guy before the draft. I love the comments he DID get from other top NBA draftees like Noah.

Most importantly, he already played games against top college players and he got great comments. Yes it will take him a few years to get the stuff down, but if he ends up on a team with a guy like Steve Nash he could do wonders.

[AZN MAN]

Yes it will take him a few years to get the stuff down, but if he ends up on a team with a guy like Steve Nash he could do wonders.

Maybe. What Yi ultimately needs to do is learn the NBA Game. He needs to figure out what he can and cannot do, and know the spots on the floor where he's most effective both offensively and defensively.

Just playing alongside a guy like Nash doesn't necessarily translate into greatness; Jalen Rose was a highly effective player on other teams but he doesn't play well on the court with Nash.

Nash's brilliance is getting the ball to a teammate where that teammate will be the most successful with his skillset. That gives the illusion that he makes teammates better but in reality it's all up to that particular teammate to hone his skills and knowledge of the game. In short, Nash helps his teammates excel at what they do well and avoid what they don't do well.

This is what Yi must learn; it's not just about his athletic ability or current skillset, it's about how he refines his skills and adapts to the NBA game and more importantly, how he learns to be the most effective with his teammates on both sides of the ball.

[zhangfei]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/06/12/SPG55QDQ7E1.DTL

Some NBA insiders have the young Chinese star rated as high as the third-best prospect in the draft and a consensus lottery pick with his combination of athleticism and size. The 248-pounder boasts a 7-foot-4 wingspan and his name appropriately means "building together" in Chinese.

"My game is power forward," Yi says in English. "I guess I'm tall, but I can run and get down and shoot the ball and sometimes post inside. I'm working on post moves. I'm getting stronger."

He has spent much of the last seven weeks working out at the Home Depot Center under the supervision of trainer Joe Abunassar, who counts Warriors' Al Harrington and Baron Davis among his clientele. Abunassar says Yi's numbers in the traditional vertical leap, three-quarter-court sprint and lane agility drills are eye-popping.

"Usually the stronger a guy is, the less flexible he is. That's not the case with Yi," Abunassar said from Las Vegas. "His numbers for a guy his size are at the top of the charts I've seen in 13 years. He runs as well as some guards, most guards, I should say."

Yi's handlers are trying to hook him up with the Golden State Warriors.

[RebelAzn]

He has spent much of the last seven weeks working out at the Home Depot Center under the supervision of trainer Joe Abunassar, who counts Warriors' Al Harrington and Baron Davis among his clientele. Abunassar says Yi's numbers in the traditional vertical leap, three-quarter-court sprint and lane agility drills are eye-popping.

"Usually the stronger a guy is, the less flexible he is. That's not the case with Yi," Abunassar said from Las Vegas. "His numbers for a guy his size are at the top of the charts I've seen in 13 years. He runs as well as some guards, most guards, I should say."

With a 7'4" wing span and at 7 feet tall and 248 lbs, he is a physical specimen. Being a Warriors' fan, it would be so nice to see the kid play in the Bay Area. He gonna do some serious dunking with Baron Davis feeding him the ball.

[RebelAzn]

Draft is only a few days away. Here is another good article on Yi.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?id=2909854&sport=nba&ft=ss


Ford: Can Yi Jianlian play? Good question
Chad Ford, ESPN Insider

Every player in the draft has a certain risk-reward quotient.

Greg Oden's risk factor went up a point or two this week when word trickled in that his physical from the predraft camp in Orlando was red-flagged with concerns about the long-term health of his wrist and a bulging disk in his back. This could certainly give Portland pause before drafting him No. 1.

Meanwhile, Kevin Durant caused an uproar several weeks ago when he tested as the worst athlete in the draft. No one believes Durant is a bad athlete, but the test results raised questions about his preparation for the draft.

For the teams drafting just below Portland and Seattle, one of the biggest risk-reward questions regards a player some see as the best talent in the draft not named Oden or Durant:

Chinese forward Yi Jianlian looks great in workouts, but can he play in the NBA?

That question has been on the minds of several NBA general mangers as they consider using a lottery pick to draft Yi. With a little more than a week to go before the draft, teams are trying to decide whether Yi is the next international star or just a workout wonder.

A month ago in L.A., I watched Yi work out, and he was very impressive -- in fact, Yi's workout ranked right up there with Oden's among the very best I've seen this year.

Yi has size, athleticism and skill. He measures 7-foot-1 in shoes, with a 7-foot-4 inch wingspan, huge hands and a 38-inch vertical jump. He runs up and down the floor well and is very quick laterally. And he's adding muscle (he's up to 248 pounds).

[RebelAzn]

Here is rest of the article:

He's an exceptional shooter from midrange and he's beginning to develop range from the NBA 3-point line. He has a good handle and knows how to put the ball on the floor to get to the rim. He has excellent footwork in the paint and a strong work ethic.

In short, in two days of workouts, it was clear that his athleticism and skills are at the NBA level. From a pure talent standpoint, only Oden and Durant appear to have more upside.

But as we've all seen over the years, what a player does in a workout doesn't always translate to a five-on-five basketball game.

The Celtics, Hawks, Bulls, Kings, Clippers, Lakers, Warriors and Sixers have already watched Yi go through the same workout I saw. They have offered similar praise and raised similar concerns.

Since seeing Yi in L.A., I've been doing more digging on him -- watching more game footage and talking to more scouts. I even got a former teammate of Yi's, American Jason Dixon, on the phone. The picture they paint is one of both untapped potential and uncertainty.

Is Yi The Real Deal?

It really depends on whom you ask. Since I wrote my first story on Yi, I've been flooded with e-mails and a few phone calls from skeptics. While everyone agrees that Yi is an interesting prospect and one of the elite players in China, some think he is being vastly overrated by NBA teams.

Why?

The two common concerns I am hearing are about his age and about his lack of toughness and overall basketball IQ.

19 or 22?

I've been given lots of information that suggest Yi is closer to 22 than 19. The information is not definitive, but I tend to believe it. So does Dixon, Yi's teammate for the last four years.

As I wrote a month ago, the evidence suggests that Yi's birth date has been altered on official documents.

This is thought to be a common practice outside of the U.S. and Western Europe. Questions about age have dogged African and Russian players for years. Dikembe Mutombo's real age has been a running joke for the past decade. And even U.S.-born LeBron James and Greg Oden have had their age questioned.

"I'd say he's 21 or 22," Dixon said regarding Yi during a phone interview from his home in Denver. "He's been with the team for four years. I don't think he started with the club when he was 15. It's pretty common over [in China] to change ages."

It would certainly raise the ire of international fans who have watched Yi dominate in Under-18 and Under-20 competitions to find that it was because he was older.

But do NBA teams care? I couldn't find a GM who thought, even if Yi is really 22, that it should affect his draft status.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Celtics vice president Danny Ainge told me. "In some ways, it helps him. It means he's more mature and more ready to handle the pressure of the NBA."

Ainge's opinion was echoed by almost everyone in the NBA that I spoke with.

Tough enough?

The other issue that is raised has to do with toughness. Yi is seen by some as a player who has yet to develop into a go-to player. He still, at times, defers to his older teammates, despite being the most talented player on the floor. Yao Ming faced similar criticism his first few years in the league. Other top players in the draft including Oden, Brandan Wright, Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Jeff Green and Julian Wright also have question marks in this area.

Can Yi develop into a go-to guy in the pros?

Said one NBA scout who has spent months in China over the past few years, "In China, the American on the team is supposed to be the best player and the guy that the rest of the players on the team defer to. I think it's a matter of point of view. Americans don't expect talented players to defer. But it's different in China.

"It starts with the club, goes down to the coach and filters into the mind-set of the players. I wouldn't read a lot into that. I think it's more a cultural issue than a basketball issue. I think Yi, once he understands the NBA and gets comfortable as a player, will be more assertive."

A contingent of veteran international scouts who have seen Yi regularly over the past few years agrees that Yi has many areas he needs to improve in, but that questions about toughness or basketball skill are present with every prospect -- including Oden and Durant -- and are just amplified because Yi is more of an unknown product.

"I think he's mentally tough enough," Dixon said. "He goes really hard every day in practice. He gets to the gym before everyone else to work on his game and he's the last one to leave. He's shown a hunger to improve. He's very coachable. He's down to earth and still somewhat humble."

Still, the "soft" critique remains, and Yi has been unable to eradicate it because he hasn't been working out against anyone. Put him in a workout with Noah or Horford and we might see something. Instead he's either worked out alone or, in the last few workouts, against unheralded college center Brian Cusworth.

With inconclusive evidence gathered in the workouts, teams have to go back to the tape. What they'll find is a player who's more comfortable playing on the perimeter.

Although Yi's team, the Guangdong Tigers, did ask him to play down low at times, it's clear that Yi doesn't like contact and would prefer to shoot jumpers. Yi also appears to be indifferent on the defensive end of the floor in game film -- another factor in the softness question.

Of course the same criticism has been leveled at NBA MVP Dirk Nowitzki for years.

Like Dirk, Yi is going to be a face-the-basket, perimeter-oriented 4 in the NBA -- at least at first. You can expect him to do a lot of spotting up and running the floor on the offensive end. His athleticism and his midrange jump shot are the best things going for him at the moment, and he'll use them. He still needs work on his aggressiveness in hitting the glass and taking advantage of smaller players in the post.

Even his outside shooting isn't entirely a strong suit for him heading into the draft. Several teams have questioned whether Yi will have NBA 3-point range. He shot just 18 percent from the international 3-point line in China this year, and hasn't been shooting it consistently from the NBA arc in some of his workouts.

Dixon said teams shouldn't worry.

"He has a very, very good shot," Dixon said. "In fact he strokes it as well as any big guy you'll see. He's a pick-and-pop, perimeter-oriented guy. I don't have any question about that. The truth is that the coach here didn't really ask him to shoot 3s. I'm not sure they always knew how to use Yi. He was stuck in the post a lot. Our guards were the ones who were supposed to shoot that shot.

"It wasn't really until last year that Yi started stepping behind the line and taking shots. It's not a big part of his game now but it could be. He has flawless mechanics. In practice he's now hitting that shot maybe 65 to 70 percent of the time. Give him a couple of months to adjust to that in the NBA and I don't think it will be an issue."

Dixon also said that the rest of Yi's game points to NBA success.

"Athletically he's ready right now," said Dixon, who said he plays with a lot of the Nuggets in the summer at the Pepsi Center. "He can hang right now. He's still got a lot to learn about the game, but physically he's ready."

And, Dixon said, he is capable handling adversity.

"We had a tough year," he said. "He had a lot of eyes looking at him. Our team wasn't as good as it's been in the past. I think there was pressure to showcase Yi for NBA teams. So Yi was put in a tough position and I think he handled it pretty well."

The Workout Game

A trickle of recent stories suggesting Yi could be slipping in the draft may have been written in part due to the frustration, from media and teams, with the restrictions put on Yi's workouts.

His agent, Dan Fegan, has limited the ability of teams to see Yi, which has led to a spate of criticism from those who haven't been given access.

Yi even skipped the NBA draft combine -- the only player projected in the top 15 to skip the event -- meaning that teams and media didn't get his measurements and the chance to see him in drills.

Although all of the teams that I have spoken with who've seen Yi work out in L.A. have come away impressed, they also have had a level of frustration that they can't see more of him.


However, Fegan says that teams are given hands-on access to Yi. Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers got on the floor with Yi and had the opportunity to take him through specific drills and plays. Others have been afforded the same opportunity.

"If there is something they want to see that's not in the workout," Fegan said, "we've given them the chance to see it."

Fegan said each team has also had time to interview Yi personally, take him out to dinner, etc., the same way that teams normally do.

Others said that because Yi has been under-scouted compared to the college crop, the restrictions are especially frustrating.

One GM who's seen him play had this response to those complaints: "They should've done their homework then. Some of us were in China a lot, tracking this kid. You can't leave it up to the agent to do your work for you. I think some teams slept a little bit on Yi and now they fell underprepared. Dan could cooperate with them a little more, but if he doesn't want Yi to play there, why should he?"

Added to that frustration is a sense that Fegan and Yi's Chinese representatives are trying to control the process. It's been known for months that Yi's people prefer he goes to a team in a big city with a substantial Asian-American population. That's why Boston and Chicago were given early looks.

[RebelAzn]

Part 3 of the article


The Hawks have been in to see Yi. So have the Kings. But other teams such as the Grizzlies, Bucks, Timberwolves and Bobcats haven't been able to get a workout.

Where Will Yi Land?

The Hawks were the second team to see Yi. They have enough interest at No. 3 that they've requested Yi fly to Atlanta to meet the owners. The word is that Al Horford is likely their target at No. 3, but it seems enough of the Hawks' brass were impressed with Yi to give him a longer look.

Danny Ainge insists that Yi may be the third-most talented player in the draft and is getting strong consideration from the Celtics at No. 5 -- but he also is looking at several other players and potentially trading the pick. Ainge sounds like he thinks Yi may be the top talent at No. 5, but he's concerned enough about some of the question marks that he may opt for a more proven product, such as Florida's Corey Brewer or Georgetown's Jeff Green.

The Bulls would take a long look at him at No. 9, but they also have an affinity for Joakim Noah and would likely select him ahead of Yi if he were still on the board.


The Kings may be his backstop. One source in Sacramento told me they are high enough on Yi that he would be a lock at No. 10 if he fell that far.

If Yi does slip past 10, I'm not sure Yi's camp will consider it a disaster. Their bigger concern coming into the process was finding the right fit for Yi -- not the highest draft position -- and that is why his camp has been so careful with the workouts.

After seeing international players such as Yao Ming and Bargnani shine in a good situation and Darko Milicic suffer in a bad situation, they know that style of play, coaching, organizational culture and the opportunity to play will ultimately determine whether Yi fulfills his enormous potential.

The other teams that have gotten into Yi's workouts -- the Sixers (No. 12), the Clippers (No. 14), the Warriors (No. 18) and the Lakers (No. 19) -- are all trying to move up in the draft and could be good long-term fits for Yi.

Ultimately, a team like the Warriors would make the most sense for Yi. They have a need for an offensive-minded 4, Nellie's style of play fits Yi, and he would be near one of the most robust Asian-American communities.

Whether the Warriors can make a deal to get high enough in the draft to take him remains a question mark.

The Sixers are another intriguing team with a large hole at the power forward position. And the Lakers could try to use Yi to help stop the bleeding if a Kobe Bryant trade happens.

The Yi Conundrum

In the end, Yi may be the highest risk-reward player in the draft. A gambling GM will roll the dice and try to make this athletic, 7-foot-tall jump shooter an NBA All-Star. The conservative GM will take a pass, going for a more proven product from Florida, North Carolina, Kansas or Ohio State.

The gambling GM may be wrong and Yi could turn into nothing more than Tim Thomas -- a big, talented forward who never had what it took to be great. Or the conservative GM could be wrong and Yi could become the next great international star.

At this point no one knows how the story will end. But the intrigue continues to make the NBA draft my favorite event of the year.

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.

[RebelAzn]

Here are the results of other top potential picks:

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT MEASUREMENTS
PLAYER HEIGHT
(w/o shoes) HEIGHT (w/shoes) WEIGHT WINGSPAN STANDING REACH
Corey Brewer 6-6¾ 6-7¾ 185 6-8¾ 8-7
Mike Conley 5-11¾ 6-0¾ 175 6-5¾ 7-10½
Daequan Cook 6-3¾ 6-5¾ 203 6-8¼ 8-5½
Javaris Crittenton 6-3 6-4¾ 194 6-5½ 8-2
Kevin Durant 6-9 6-10¼ 215 7-4¾ 9-2
Jeff Green 6-7¾ 6-9½ 228 7-1¼ 8-7
Spencer Hawes 6-10½ 7-0¾ 244 7-0½ 9-2
Al Horford 6-8¾ 6-9¾ 244 7-0¾ 8-11
Acie Law 6-2 6-3½ 186 6-6½ 8-2
Josh McRoberts 6-8¾ 6-10 240 7-1 8-10½
Greg Oden 6-11 7-0 257 7-4¼ 9-4
Joakim Noah 6-10½ 7-0 223 7-1¾ 8-10½
Jason Smith 6-10¾ 6-11½ 233 6-10¾ 8-10
Rodney Stuckey 6-3¾ 6-4½ 207 6-7½ 8-4½
Al Thornton 6-5¾ 6-7 221 7-1 8-8
Brandan Wright 6-8¾ 6-10 200 7-3¾ 9-0
Julian Wright 6-6½ 6-8½ 211 7-2¼ 9-0
Nick Young 6-5 6-6¾ 206 7-0 8-4½
Thaddeus Young 6-5¾ 6-7½ 210 6-11½ 8-10

COMBINE RESULTS
PLAYER NO STEP VERTICAL MAX VERTICAL BENCH PRESS LANE AGILITY 3/4 CRT SPRINT OVERALL RANK
Corey Brewer 30.5 36.5 11 11.69 3.22 29
Mike Conley 35.5 40.5 13 11.63 3.09 5
Daequan Cook 30 34.5 4 11.12 3.22 41
Javaris Crittenton 32.5 38 11 11.6 3.32 30
Kevin Durant 26 33 0 12.33 3.45 78
Jeff Green 33.5 38 17 12.0 3.34 18
Spencer Hawes 26 29 9 11.88 3.51 72
Al Horford 31 35.5 20 12.15 3.37 21
Acie Law 29 34 8 11.0 3.22 32
Josh McRoberts 27.5 31.5 12 11.7 3.47 58
Greg Oden 32 34 0 11.67 3.27 62
Joakim Noah 32.5 37.5 12 11.79 3.47 43
Jason Smith 33.5 37.5 15 10.96 3.29 8
Rodney Stuckey 30.5 35 14 11.34 3.11 10
Al Thornton 35 41.0 9 11.96 3.16 17
Brandan Wright 30.5 35.5 2 11.76 3.31 61
Julian Wright 28.5 33.5 2 11.48 3.36 66
Nick Young 39.5 40.5 6 11.0 3.25 12
Thaddeus Young 34.5 37 13 11.06 3.19 7

Basically, at 7'1", Yi pretty much beat most of the players at vertical jump and has similar wing span as Greg Oden. Physically, he is more than ready. Athletically, he is better than most guys in the draft. The question is can he play in the NBA? I have no idea why his agent does not let him play 1-on-1 against guys like Joakim Noah and others.

[AZN MAN]

I have no idea why his agent does not let him play 1-on-1 against guys like Joakim Noah and others.

In order to conceal Yi's weaknesses in the NBA-style game … and he’s got a lot.

As much as I'd like to see an Asian guy rise up and dominate the NBA, I must confine myself to reality. Simply put, Yi ain’t that guy and I’m not going to go off on some blind homerism wave because I’m desperate to worship a macho NBA Asian athlete dood.

On another note, try not to pay much attention to the Pre-Draft Combine results; the data is very close to proving absolutely nothing except for perhaps a waste of time. One of the worst athletic scores from this year’s testing is awarded to Kevin Durant, and any NBA GM who makes decisions based on these scores is a major-league fool.

Here’s history on some of the worst athletic scores from this bogus testing:

2006: Marcus Williams.
2005: Monta Ellis, Chris Paul (Who was ranked 15th)
2004: Andre Iguodola, Luol Deng
2003: Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade (Who was ranked 14th)

Every guy listed above is actually an above average to superior athlete in today’s NBA. If you want to find out who is actually NBA ready, then remove the agents and let the prospective draftees play.

Who gives a shit about how many reps a guy can press at 185 lbs or how high his standing vert is? GMs want to know about:

Attitude
Hustle
Fundamentals (Rebounding, shooting, passing, dribbling, setting picks, defense, etc.)
Timing & Instincts
Coachability
Work Ethic
Decision-making ability
Intangibles & playing under pressure
Leadership ability
Ability to play a role within a team concept
Quickness
Hoop IQ

In my opinion, Yi has a long way to go ...

[RebelAzn]

In order to conceal Yi's weaknesses in the NBA-style game … and he’s got a lot.

As much as I'd like to see an Asian guy rise up and dominate the NBA, I must confine myself to reality. Simply put, Yi ain’t that guy and I’m not going to go off on some blind homerism wave because I’m desperate to worship a macho NBA Asian athlete dood.

On another note, try not to pay much attention to the Pre-Draft Combine results; the data is very close to proving absolutely nothing except for perhaps a waste of time. One of the worst athletic scores from this year’s testing is awarded to Kevin Durant, and any NBA GM who makes decisions based on these scores is a major-league fool.

Here’s history on some of the worst athletic scores from this bogus testing:

2006: Marcus Williams.
2005: Monta Ellis, Chris Paul (Who was ranked 15th)
2004: Andre Iguodola, Luol Deng
2003: Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade (Who was ranked 14th)

Every guy listed above is actually an above average to superior athlete in today’s NBA. If you want to find out who is actually NBA ready, then remove the agents and let the prospective draftees play.

Who gives a shit about how many reps a guy can press at 185 lbs or how high his standing vert is? GMs want to know about:

Attitude
Hustle
Fundamentals (Rebounding, shooting, passing, dribbling, setting picks, defense, etc.)
Timing & Instincts
Coachability
Work Ethic
Decision-making ability
Intangibles & playing under pressure
Leadership ability
Ability to play a role within a team concept
Quickness
Hoop IQ

In my opinion, Yi has a long way to go ...

Yep he sucks and I hope he will fall to #18 to the Golden State Warriors. Let's hope you are right and I am glad you are optimistic.

BTW, I am one of the biggest Marcus Williams fan. I have a jersey pretty much signed by the entire UCONN 2006 team. I only been watching basketball like forever. Maybe you forgot the kid is only 19 or 22. I am sure there are plenty of doubters out there. Everyone thought Yao gonna be shit too as well as Marcus Williams. I guess we will never know. I guess I also like to be glass half full type of guy vs. negative everything like many guys here. I merely posted an article from ESPN so don't slap that blind homerism shit on me.

[AZN MAN]

Yep he sucks and I hope he will fall to #18 to the Golden State Warriors. Let's hope you are right and I am glad you are optimistic.

BTW, I am one of the biggest Marcus Williams fan. I have a jersey pretty much signed by the entire UCONN 2006 team. I only been watching basketball like forever. Maybe you forgot the kid is only 19 or 22. I am sure there are plenty of doubters out there. Everyone thought Yao gonna be shit too as well as Marcus Williams. I guess we will never know. I guess I also like to be glass half full type of guy vs. negative everything like many guys here. I merely posted an article from ESPN so don't slap that blind homerism shit on me.

Did you go to UConn? I have a friend who balled there during the Camby and Dingle years.

I realize that my post was a little harsh; reading some of your previous posts gave me the “homer” impression, but I think you’re smart/tough enough to handle the critique. Since you sound like more than just a casual fan, you probably don’t drink that BSPN kool-aid - that site is a goldmine for sensationalism, misinformation, and creative fabrication.

I formulate my opinions based on what I learned from guys who played the game; they learned from the Pros, played pickups with them during the summers at places like Pauley (UCLA), guys who played Div 1, and guys who made NBA rosters. They schooled my dumb azz on what to look for in players, teams, offenses, defenses, strategy and coaching. I listen to what these guys say, and that roots me in reality whether it sounds optimistic or pessimistic.

That said, I studied shots of Yao's games before the draft and I always thought he’d be a decent NBA player regardless of what was reported by journalists. I could see how he made an impact on the game by what he does on the court in lieu of stats and athleticism. At the time, I thought he could be an all-star but not superstar, but after his corrective toe surgery he’s all-world, except when he’s getting stuffed by Nate Dogg. ;-P

I don’t have the same impressions of Yi, and my personal opinion is that he could become a serviceable role player in the NBA, but not a star on the scale of Yao. I hope I’m wrong but I’m just not seeing star quality in Yi’s game; perhaps he just needs time against NBA competition but I’m not getting that feel from watching him. Mind you, I’ve been wrong before, one example is when I under-evaluated Chris Paul; I just didn’t think he’d make such a huge impact in the NBA so quickly. But, he’s the truth. In 05 draft discussions, I felt Paul would be a very solid to eventual all-star player; but at that time I was a Deron Williams supporter and still am.

On the flip, I’ve heard rumblings about another young player from China who is being monitored by NBA teams and even Shoe Execs. I can’t remember his name right now, but I believe he’s only about 16 or 17. I was told that when the Chinese Jr. National Team came to the US, they scrimmaged against teams of US college players and this guy was a demon at 15. I heard that he’s a skinny 2-guard about 6’5” who is incredibly athletic, quick first step, blazing speed, hops off the run, has good fundamentals, and is mean. Unlike Yi, I was told that this guy would drive, rise, and throw down over the college big men while humiliating them. I thought it was too good to be true, so I’ll find out the name of this guy and watch tape if I can get it, and post comments here.

Regarding Marcus Williams, that lame low Combine athletic score from last year just doesn’t reflect his skills/knowledge of the game; how he ran a winning team in a tough conference, and how he routinely abused opposing point guards. This is the type of superficial crap that irritates me; all these peeps had to do was unleash Marcus in a game and watch him play and they’d have their answer.

Since I’m a hoops fan and you’re a GS fan I’ll share my enthusiasm at watching your Warriors whack the Mavs in the 1st round. Watching Nellie psyche out Avery was entertaining, but what really happened is that GS so easily and routinely exposed Dallas for what they are: Soft, overrated defense, no inside game, trouble adjusting to mismatches, and lack of heart in the face of pressure.

I think what GS needs to do is resign Barnes, help improve the emotional balance of BDiddy, SJax, and JRich so that they don’t lose composure in pressure situations, help make Harrington and Ellis mentally stronger, and find a way to acquire a 2-way low-post impact big without giving up Biedrins.

[zhangfei]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2007-06-24-yi-wows-scouts_N.htm?csp=34

Newell, the legendary Hall of Fame coach who has run the Big Man Camp for years, had Yi there four years ago. He renewed acquaintances last month, watching Yi work out at UCLA.

"Yi will end up being the best player in the NBA from China, and I know that's saying a lot," Newell, 91, says. "He has much more body control than Yao, and he's a much better jumper. I'm real high on him, and I think I'm right."

I hope Newell is right.

[Liang]

I'm hoping he goes to a fitting city (not Boston or Milwaukee...yuk)

[zhangfei]

" Yi's handlers did everything they could to keep him away from Milwaukee. The Bucks were not permitted to attend any of Yi's workouts and GM Larry Harris did not travel to China to see Yi play in person. According to league sources, Yi's representatives will ask the Bucks to trade Yi on Friday."



http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/chris_mannix/06/29/draft.rehash/1.html

"The Bucks are starting, literally, an international incident by suggesting that they'll take Yi Jianlian even though he doesn't want to play in a city that has only six Chinese people.

Milwaukee GM Larry Harris has even suggested that their owner, a U.S. Senator [Herb Kohl], would deliver Yi diplomatically if he refuses to come. Are we sure we want to go that far? So now we're bringing governments into this?

Do we really want to piss off China over Yi Jianlian? Really?"
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=nbamockdraft/070627

Another Chinese player

6'9" point guard Sun Yue got picked up by the Lakers in the second round. That's a good place for him.

[Liang]

I heard that Golden State's coach liked him. Hopefully they can be the ones to pull off a trade.

[RebelAzn]

Some interesting stuff. Sun Yue selection was a surprise. Lakers did bring him in for a good workout against their players so they probably know him pretty well. He might play overseas for another year or so or maybe in the D-league. I guess it all comes down how he does in the summer league. Here is a video of him from YOUTUBE. The guy got a great handle for a 6'9" kid. He can guard 1-4 in the NBA if he gets a little stronger. He really distinguished himself in the Orlando camp both with the physical tests as well as playing in the camp. The block at 2:09 in the video is pretty unreal.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Bvs45ZykkN0

Yi Jianlian's saga is turning interesting. I hope they just let him play with the Bucks. They are not so bad and he will get a chance to play with CV, who I know is a nice kid.

[RebelAzn]

Did you go to UConn? I have a friend who balled there during the Camby and Dingle years.

I realize that my post was a little harsh; reading some of your previous posts gave me the “homer” impression, but I think you’re smart/tough enough to handle the critique. Since you sound like more than just a casual fan, you probably don’t drink that BSPN kool-aid - that site is a goldmine for sensationalism, misinformation, and creative fabrication.

I formulate my opinions based on what I learned from guys who played the game; they learned from the Pros, played pickups with them during the summers at places like Pauley (UCLA), guys who played Div 1, and guys who made NBA rosters. They schooled my dumb azz on what to look for in players, teams, offenses, defenses, strategy and coaching. I listen to what these guys say, and that roots me in reality whether it sounds optimistic or pessimistic.

That said, I studied shots of Yao's games before the draft and I always thought he’d be a decent NBA player regardless of what was reported by journalists. I could see how he made an impact on the game by what he does on the court in lieu of stats and athleticism. At the time, I thought he could be an all-star but not superstar, but after his corrective toe surgery he’s all-world, except when he’s getting stuffed by Nate Dogg. ;-P

I don’t have the same impressions of Yi, and my personal opinion is that he could become a serviceable role player in the NBA, but not a star on the scale of Yao. I hope I’m wrong but I’m just not seeing star quality in Yi’s game; perhaps he just needs time against NBA competition but I’m not getting that feel from watching him. Mind you, I’ve been wrong before, one example is when I under-evaluated Chris Paul; I just didn’t think he’d make such a huge impact in the NBA so quickly. But, he’s the truth. In 05 draft discussions, I felt Paul would be a very solid to eventual all-star player; but at that time I was a Deron Williams supporter and still am.

On the flip, I’ve heard rumblings about another young player from China who is being monitored by NBA teams and even Shoe Execs. I can’t remember his name right now, but I believe he’s only about 16 or 17. I was told that when the Chinese Jr. National Team came to the US, they scrimmaged against teams of US college players and this guy was a demon at 15. I heard that he’s a skinny 2-guard about 6’5” who is incredibly athletic, quick first step, blazing speed, hops off the run, has good fundamentals, and is mean. Unlike Yi, I was told that this guy would drive, rise, and throw down over the college big men while humiliating them. I thought it was too good to be true, so I’ll find out the name of this guy and watch tape if I can get it, and post comments here.

Regarding Marcus Williams, that lame low Combine athletic score from last year just doesn’t reflect his skills/knowledge of the game; how he ran a winning team in a tough conference, and how he routinely abused opposing point guards. This is the type of superficial crap that irritates me; all these peeps had to do was unleash Marcus in a game and watch him play and they’d have their answer.

Since I’m a hoops fan and you’re a GS fan I’ll share my enthusiasm at watching your Warriors whack the Mavs in the 1st round. Watching Nellie psyche out Avery was entertaining, but what really happened is that GS so easily and routinely exposed Dallas for what they are: Soft, overrated defense, no inside game, trouble adjusting to mismatches, and lack of heart in the face of pressure.

I think what GS needs to do is resign Barnes, help improve the emotional balance of BDiddy, SJax, and JRich so that they don’t lose composure in pressure situations, help make Harrington and Ellis mentally stronger, and find a way to acquire a 2-way low-post impact big without giving up Biedrins.

Put it this, I am a huge huge UCONN fan. I have met Calhoun, Rudy Gay and number of UCONN players. I have watched UCONN play for many many years so I do know basketball to a certain extend.

GS just traded JRich away which I thought was a good move. His contract was nuts. With the $10M exception they got more options, including Yi if they want to go that route. I am not convinced about Brandon Wright. For one thing, he is very skinny (6'10" 200 lbs) and he gonna get pounded in the NBA. Also, his game is around the rim and he can get lazy at times. I have seen him play at UNC a few times. He is a huge talent but I question his desire upstairs. They need to keep Biedrins at all cost. I would trade Wright and maybe Ellis to get Yi and someone else from the Bucks if the deal is available. Ellis has a low salary and Bucks can probably give GSW a future draft pick and take his salary. All things pointing to Bucks not going to give up on Yi and they want to sign him vs. trading him.

[AZN MAN]

In my opinion, GSW needs a 2-way low post impact big in order to compete for a championship; unfortunately I don’t think Yi Jianlian is that player although I understand the economics of that possible transaction. Yi is a big that prefers to play on the perimeter, nailing J’s from mid-range to the 3-pt line with the occasional drive. He is woeful defensively, physically weak, and needs a lot of refinement in his post game. Biedrins can handle the load defensively in the paint when he’s not in foul trouble, but offensively he is still very raw and also needs to improve his strength to hold his position.

I think the ideal place for Yi's talent is a team that already has that low-post impact presence from the Center spot such as Miami, Orlando, and/or Houston.

Since we're talking more about hoops than Yi Jianlian, I'll start a new thread.

[RebelAzn]

In my opinion, GSW needs a 2-way low post impact big in order to compete for a championship; unfortunately I don’t think Yi Jianlian is that player although I understand the economics of that possible transaction. Yi is a big that prefers to play on the perimeter, nailing J’s from mid-range to the 3-pt line with the occasional drive. He is woeful defensively, physically weak, and needs a lot of refinement in his post game. Biedrins can handle the load defensively in the paint when he’s not in foul trouble, but offensively he is still very raw and also needs to improve his strength to hold his position.

I think the ideal place for Yi's talent is a team that already has that low-post impact presence from the Center spot such as Miami, Orlando, and/or Houston.

Since we're talking more about hoops than Yi Jianlian, I'll start a new thread.

I think your assessment of Yi Jianlian could not be further from the truth. You have been reading too many of those so-called "experts" that obviously have never seen the kid play.

I just came back from the Las Vegas summer leagues where I spent a few days watching him by the court side. He is nothing like those who described him as a 3 pointer shooter who likes to hang out on the perimeter. He is very physically and spent 90% of his time in the post. He is quick and he bangs. Physically he definitely was not weak. Could he improve on D? Sure but so does every single rookie. Every single guy there played him extremely physically due to the 10 fouls in summer league. Yi banged a lot. He had some good games and had some bad ones. He was not the focus of the Chinese team and so it is hard to judge his offensive skills since he never got to show them much. He is a true 4 who block shots and have excellent mobility around the post. I was amazed by his shot blocking skills and his natural instinct. In fact, it was his defense that was a total surprise comparing to all the "so-called" scouting reports. He did not back down from guys who tried to push him off the block down low. Also, every time he touched the ball he was surrounded by 2 to 3 guys and they usually foul him before he has a chance to do anything with the ball. I wish I could have seen him more taking 3 point shots but he never did. Wang Zhi Zhi took all the shots.

BTW, the player he reminds me most of is Chris Bosh, not some 3 point shooting big man.

[AZN MAN]

The assessment that I've stated in earlier posts was mine; I came to this conclusion from watching International games that I was able to procure. In those games, Yi didn't establish himself much, if at all, in the post. Now I do understand that the Intl game is quite different than the NBA game.

I had no time to watch any summer league games, so I'm pleasantly surprised at what you saw. Most Intl players come to the U.S. and play to their strengths, so your report is encouraging because it seems that Yi is trying to adjust his game to the NBA style, which is a question I stated in an earlier post.

I did take a few moments to scan over the box scores and one stat stuck out; foul shots. Generally speaking, an NBA player gets fouled by either driving to the hoop or operating in the post, or both. However, in the summer leagues a lot of players tend to get fouled on jump shots as well. That said, it was interesting that he was being doubled and tripled in the post.

My confusion is this: If Yi was commanding such attention down low, why was he not a focal point of China's offensive schemes? I don't understand a coach not wishing to maximize his personnel advantage(s) in a game.

I think it's still too early to get a full assessment on Yi at this stage; I'd prefer to make one after next season's conclusion. Again, in the Intl games I watched, I didn't see the low post game that Yi brought to Vegas. What's far more disconcerting at this point is not what is happening on the court, but off the court with his coaches, agents, Chinese Gov't, etc.

[CJF]

Too early to tell how good he will be. He has all the tools at 19 (I'm assuming that's correct). 7 feet tall. Runs the court like a dear. Long arms. Has that Pau Gasol/Andris Biedrins type frame.

I hope he plays with the Bucks. It's a good situation for him to play next to Bogut.