<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>BEIJING -- Chinese forward Yi Jianlian, a 19-year-old rising star touted by many as the next Yao Ming, has received permission from his club to enter the 2007 NBA draft. Yi, who lead the Guangdong Tigers to three straight national championships, was given the backing of his club to enter the draft, the China Daily reported Friday. The 6-foot-11 Yi has attracted attention in basketball circles for several years and had been promoted as a 2006 daft prospect, but his club said he was too young and inexperienced. "But now he is different, he is getting stronger mentally and physically," Guangdong general manager Chen Haitao told the newspaper. "I think next year will be a big chance for him, so for us, it's time to let him go." "This is a great opportunity and also a test for me," said Yi, whose height and on-court moves have brought comparisons to Yao, the 7-foot-5 Houston Rockets center. Yi, who averaged 20.5 points and 9.6 rebounds last season, still needs the approval of the Chinese Basketball Association and an exemption from a CBA rule that Chinese players are not eligible for the NBA draft until they turn 22. "We always support our players in joining high-quality overseas leagues," said vice president Hu Jiashi, who added it was important for Yi to get a lot of playing time. "If he is going to be stuck on the bench, it would be better if he stayed at home." Yi says the prospect of playing in the NBA is not as exciting as people expect. "It is too early to predict my future in the NBA, because I am still improving all the time," he said.</div>http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?I...ce=NBAHeadlines
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Doesn't he also need approval from China itself? He's got a lot to do.</div>Ya, I think he still needs to. His team has approved it, but the league (CBA) needs to approve it. It's going to be like when Yao went into the league. But I don't think Yi will be prevented from going into the draft. Too many fans would be outraged if he was prevented.Look for more here (sorry for the sameless self-promotion).
'The next Yao Ming'...ugh...how lazy can the media be. He's an interesting prospect but I don't see it happening this year, China won't let him go that easily.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>'The next Yao Ming'...ugh...how lazy can the media be. He's an interesting prospect but I don't see it happening this year, China won't let him go that easily.</div>See my above post as to why I think he'll be in the NBA next year.However, I do agree that he is not like Yao Ming. Not in temperment, not in game. He's almost completely opposite. He's more small forward than power forward, and definitely not a center in the NBA.
I thought they said he was the chinese kevin garnett? I saw him in one game where he just threw down this crazy athletic acrobatic dunk. it was just insane
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CRaZy_KiCkz @ Nov 4 2006, 12:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I thought they said he was the chinese kevin garnett? I saw him in one game where he just threw down this crazy athletic acrobatic dunk. it was just insane</div> Thats a little more accurate. The media just calls him the next Yao Ming because he's Chinese, they are completely different players.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CRaZy_KiCkz @ Nov 3 2006, 10:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I thought they said he was the chinese kevin garnett? I saw him in one game where he just threw down this crazy athletic acrobatic dunk. it was just insane</div>No no, you must have things all wrong. Kevin Garnett is black.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I thought they said he was the chinese kevin garnett? I saw him in one game where he just threw down this crazy athletic acrobatic dunk. it was just insane</div>Add in "poor man's poor man" in front of Kevin Garnett, and you should have it right.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (IBleedGreen @ Nov 4 2006, 10:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The next Yao Ming?? No thnx I'll pass</div> Yeah, who wants 22/10 and a good defense presense.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Yeah, who wants 22/10 and a good defense presense.</div>Not to mention a few dozen million new fans from the Guangdong area, and about that many jersey sales.
