<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">China's latest NBA prospect Yi Jianlian left for the US yesterday for a crash course ahead of the league's annual draft in June, and hopes to emerge from the shadows of his Chinese predecessors in the league. Yi would go through a few specially designed training camps under some of the most recognizable names in the game's history, possibly including the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon. "We want to do everything we can to better prepare him for an NBA career, which is always hard, especially for an overseas player," said Liu Hongjiang, a member of Yi's management team and an official with Yi's old Guangdong Winnerway club. "No previous Chinese NBA prospect went through such an orientation before. Hopefully, it would raise Yi's game that meets the NBA standards and eases his route to success in the US." Both Wang Zhizhi and Menke Bateer were thrown into high-octane NBA games without any counseling when they joined the league (Dallas Mavericks for Wang and Denver Nuggets for Bateer) as free agents. Yao Ming descended on the Houston Rockets as the top pick of the 2002 draft but he didn't even attend the career-defining draft meeting in person - his commitment to the Chinese national team left him watching the event on television in Beijing. </div> Source: China Daily
^ how'd ypu get that pick..lol. I think he'll be a good player. He's got tons of potential, and well be good for the league. I like how he plays. I might get his jeresy, he's a player with class too.
Can someone tell me exactly how old Yi Jianlian really is? I've heard the guy could be as young as 21 or 22, yet I've also heard the guy was already 24 or 25. Can someone clear up the age?
<div class="quote_poster">Smitty Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Looks like he needs to put on a few pounds.</div> Fixed.
I agree... I saw him play and I love his game as well. I cant wait to see what he can do in this league.
<div class="quote_poster">Brian Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Can someone tell me exactly how old Yi Jianlian really is? I've heard the guy could be as young as 21 or 22, yet I've also heard the guy was already 24 or 25. Can someone clear up the age?</div> i read somewhere that he was born in 85
I've heard that he's athletic and has some perimeter skills. A lot of the times these types of players get a little too much hype considering their skillset and ultimately flop, but I hope that he'll be able to do something in the NBA.
I think the guy is going to be a good player but he does look skinny needs to gain some pounds if he wants to compete at a good level.
<div class="quote_poster">custodianrules2 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Dang, that guy looks skinnier than when Kevin Garnett first started out from high school.</div> Yet I'm sure that you'd love for the Warriors to get him, haha. You guys want Yao so much but you can't get him. Yi's the next best thing LOL.
<div class="quote_poster">Locke Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Yet I'm sure that you'd love for the Warriors to get him, haha. You guys want Yao so much but you can't get him. Yi's the next best thing LOL.</div> I don't know if Yi will be anything like Yao, but there's a few things you look at if trying to land either a center or a power forward. Yao had the size and uniqueness + fundamentals. Yi has the athleticism and length plus pretty decent fundamentals. Dell Harris believes in this guy.
he's skinny but so is tmac and KG. yi looks pretty strong from what ive seen when he plays, not dwight howrd or ben waallace strong but he isnt weak, atleast that was the impression i got from youtube highlights. i hope he does well, tall guys who handle the ball and play on the perimeter are usually fun to watch aswell.
<div class="quote_poster">AKIRA Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">he's skinny but so is tmac and KG. yi looks pretty strong from what ive seen when he plays, not dwight howrd or ben waallace strong but he isnt weak, atleast that was the impression i got from youtube highlights. i hope he does well, tall guys who handle the ball and play on the perimeter are usually fun to watch aswell.</div> I'm excited that (finally) china is giving us an athletic type player is getting a chance to prove himself here. maybe this will open the door to future prospects, hopefully we'll see some guards as well.
<div class="quote_poster">michiganave17 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Lets just see if it can translate over to the NBA.</div> Enough said. Once he starts playing in the NBA, then I can really judge him.
I think he will have a poor rookie season trying to adjust to NBA life. He will realize that he needs to put on weight. I think he will end up like a Dirk Nowitzki/Kevin Garnett player if he lives up to all the hype. If he doesn't then we are looking at a stromile swift
I read Chad Ford's bit on Yi Jianlian's workout in LA. The report has him looking great. Guys like Joakim Noah, Nick Young, and Nick Fazekas are giving him love, Noah and Fazekas failed to keep up with Jianlian during shooting and dribbling drills. The one thing that impresses me is that being 7 foot tall, he can run the floor like a quick guard, has the lower body strength to hold his position in the post, his range extends to the 3 point line and he can jump. This is all from the 2 days of workouts Chad saw though, and the question of wether he can do the same in the NBA is yet to be determined, but watching him in olympic play last year can answer some questions. Another thing too is that Yi has already been living in LA for about a month. He is living a typical American lifestyle, driving his way around, listening to hip hop music, joking around with Americans, playing video games and dressing nicely can make him feel more comfortable as the season comes around. Therefore and hopefully, he can fit into the American game better.
NBA.com has his DOB 1987... i think his best senerio is to go to chicago and one day be with tyrus as the starters, or go to atlanta and get time rite away and hope to be dominant downlow with williams
