<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Chinese teen star Yi Jianlian has broken his silence following a torrent of criticism about his refusal to move to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA, saying it was his decision alone not to play there. The 19-year-old was was chosen by the Bucks as the No. 6 pick in last month's NBA draft but has refused to go there -- reportedly because he would not get enough playing time and that too few Chinese lived in Milwaukee. The 7-foot power forward's U.S.-based agent, Dan Fegan, has been portrayed in China as one of the main villains in the affair. But Yi made clear it was his decision, and not Fegan's, in wanting to be traded to another team. "I've read some of the reports, but I don't think he has made too many decisions for me," Yi told Chinese reporters while training with the national team in Beijing on Thursday, and his comments were carried by the China Daily. "It's clear that he works for me, so everything he is doing is based on my ideas," Yi said.</div> source
It's about time. I don't think Milwaukee will be able to change Yi's mind now that he came out and spoke for himself. They shouldn't have even drafted him in the first place.
To be blunt, Yi should stop being a little bitch and play for the team who drafted him. Players that do that - Francis, Eli Manning, etc. - should not be allowed to play in their respective leagues if they don't play for the team that drafted them. How are bad teams supposed to get better when their draft picks don't play for them? Imagine if the Bucks got the rights to the first pick and Oden/Durant didn't want to play for Milwaukee. That would be a huge missed opportunity. I know it's a pointless hypothetical but the principle of it still remains. Yi Jianlian does not belong in the NBA.
What an asshat. I can't believe I tried to shift the blame away from him. If he does get his way out of Milwaukee, I hope he becomes an absolute bust.
before you guys get all mad at this kid, remember where he is from, and how the government of china is. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Despite Yi's insistence that he is walking his own road, Chinese sporting authorities in reality have a lot of say over his career -- and they have expressed their desire for him to play with another NBA team. The Chinese Basketball Association and his Chinese club, the Guangdong Tigers, have to release Yi before he can play with any other team. </div> now, i'm not saying that the government of china is behind this, but it wouldn't totally surprise me if they were.
I hate this guy already.He hasn't even played for the team and he already wants to be traded.Milwaukee shouldn't have drafted him anyways he seems like a bust.
<div class="quote_poster">MrJ Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">To be blunt, Yi should stop being a little bitch and play for the team who drafted him. Players that do that - Francis, Eli Manning, etc. - should not be allowed to play in their respective leagues if they don't play for the team that drafted them. How are bad teams supposed to get better when their draft picks don't play for them? Imagine if the Bucks got the rights to the first pick and Oden/Durant didn't want to play for Milwaukee. That would be a huge missed opportunity. I know it's a pointless hypothetical but the principle of it still remains. Yi Jianlian does not belong in the NBA.</div> Exactly i've been following these developments for a while now, and my opinion on the matter has been mixed since full details have'nt been made known. but this article just pissed me off. what an ingrate this guy is. a lot of foreign and undrafted college guys playing abroad in the euro and asian leagues, or the nbdl, would be happy just to get a spot on the bench. the fool should be thankful for getting the opportunity to play for an nba team. what team would part with some of their pieces for a guy whose unproven at this level, and could turn out to be a bust?? plans for his future growth my ass, if you were a star in china thats no guarantee youre gonna make it big in the nba. if he wants to salvage whats little thats left of his reputation, yi should just stop bitchin and have the huevos to suit up for milwaukee. i hope amare or dwight howard would crush a brutal dunk on this tool to take his ego down a few notches.
Well, I can't say I hate him because that's the way him and his party has wanted all this time. You really can't blame Yi for all of this either, the Bucks were only going to get trouble by drafting a guy that didn't want to play for them.
<div class="quote_poster">Will637 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Well, I can't say I hate him because that's the way him and his party has wanted all this time. You really can't blame Yi for all of this either, the Bucks were only going to get trouble by drafting a guy that didn't want to play for them.</div> If Yi is responsible for this (I'm afraid to say something for sure, since the story keeps changing), how can't you blame him? He has no right to choose which team he wants to go to when he's entering the draft. The Bucks did something perfectly within the rules and he's made a mess out of it because he won't buck up and play basketball.
This actually confuses the situation for me more than it brings clarity. Everything I've read to this point is completely contradictory, and that fact in itself makes me wonder if he's still being a puppet of his former team, his agent, or even the Chinese government, as SoSoDef suggested. If he is traded though, I'd assume the top potential destinations would be Golden State, Los Angeles (Lakers or Clippers), Sacramento, Chicago, or Houston. There hasn't been much talk of the trade possibilities though, just a bunch of finger pointing. The Bucks should stop working with Yi and start trying to shop him. You'd think they could get a package going along the lines of Simmons and Yi for Artest, or something along similar. They haven't signed him to a contract yet, so they can also just trade his rights and therefore can just ask for future draft pick from a potential suitor. BTW - Is anyone else sort of disgusted by the racial overtones? It seems like the media is quick to pull the race card when it's a black-white issue, but no one seems to care about this. Are they making the assumption that Caucasians and African-Americans aren't likely to become fans of his, or are they saying that he doesn't feel comfortable around them?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Voodoo Child:</div><div class="quote_post">BTW - Is anyone else sort of disgusted by the racial overtones? It seems like the media is quick to pull the race card when it's a black-white issue, but no one seems to care about this. Are they making the assumption that Caucasians and African-Americans aren't likely to become fans of his, or are they saying that he doesn't feel comfortable around them?</div> I don't see it as a racial thing, so much as a cultural/heritage thing. Seeing as he's coming from a different country (with different customs, languages, attitudes, etc.), I suppose they want to make sure Yi doesn't experience too much of a culture shock in his rookie season. If the black/white people of Milwaukee could speak Chinese, they probably wouldn't be complaining as much. And, on the other side, if there was a large Korean population in Milwaukee, they might still have the same reservations. I understand their concerns, but I think they (or Yi... I have no idea anymore) are going about it all wrong. He's going to have to adjust when going through such a major change. That's a given. You can do certain things to make him more comfortable, but eventually you have to leave the rest to his mental makeup and determination to succeed.
<div class="quote_poster">Chutney Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I don't see it as a racial thing, so much as a cultural/heritage thing. Seeing as he's coming from a different country (with different customs, languages, attitudes, etc.), I suppose they want to make sure Yi doesn't experience too much of a culture shock in his rookie season. If the black/white people of Milwaukee could speak Chinese, they probably wouldn't be complaining as much. And, on the other side, if there was a large Korean population in Milwaukee, they might still have the same reservations. I understand their concerns, but I think they (or Yi... I have no idea anymore) are going about it all wrong. He's going to have to adjust when going through such a major change. That's a given. You can do certain things to make him more comfortable, but eventually you have to leave the rest to his mental makeup and determination to succeed.</div> Of course it's not overtly racist, but the overtones are definitely there. Culture is closely related to race and heritage. They go hand in hand. Even if you don't think there's any intimation of racism, it's still xenophobic, and if he's that worried about the culture, he should stay in China. Besides, when you play in the NBA, you're on the road most of the time, and then there's a seven month offseason that he can use to spend with the national team in China.
What the hell? Yi and his Agent refuse the Bucks a workout as he doesnt want to go there. They end up drafting him. According to his agent, they will request a trade. Yi comes out during the summer league and says he doesnt mind playing for Milwaukee. Yi's Chinese club are very angry at Milwaukee, and want Yi traded. Yi's Chinese club doesnt mind Yi being in Milwaukee, and wants him to play in the NBA. Yi confirms that he infact wants to be traded. What the hell is going on!?
Any and all complaints about how this is going down have to be tempered by remembering this is exactly what everyone thought would happen if Milwaukee took Yi. At the same time as you can blast Yi for wanting to choose his team, or at least chose the teams he won't play for, for Milwaukee to have drafted him anyways with so many other quality players left on the board was a grave mistake.
<div class="quote_poster">Will637 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Well, I can't say I hate him because that's the way him and his party has wanted all this time. You really can't blame Yi for all of this either, the Bucks were only going to get trouble by drafting a guy that didn't want to play for them.</div> I'm not sure why you keep ignoring common sense, and what people have been saying all along. It is the Bucks' right as a team to draft the best player available, and Yi should be damn grateful he's even playing in the NBA at all. Do you actually think its right that a player chooses where he is drafted? I thought Stern was the worst commissioner possible, but I'd hate to have you running the league.
<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Of course it's not overtly racist, but the overtones are definitely there. Culture is closely related to race and heritage. They go hand in hand. Even if you don't think there's any intimation of racism, it's still xenophobic, and if he's that worried about the culture, he should stay in China. Besides, when you play in the NBA, you're on the road most of the time, and then there's a seven month offseason that he can use to spend with the national team in China.</div> Yea, I suppose you could look at it like that. And I do agree with you on the fact that whole thing is rather ridiculous. They (Yi, his agent, his former team, whoever...) need to understand that coming overseas to play professional ball will be incredibly difficult, no matter how comfortable Yi is. Either way, I don't think it means much. I've never bought the "Yi needs to be comfortable in a Chinese community" reasoning from the beginning. Its all about money and exposure.
Just ship him to SAC Town or New Jersey For some one like Richard Jefferson or Nenard(spell?) . good for both teams
Yi said he didn't want to play for Milwakee before the draft. Honestly, that isn't how the draft works and he should report to training camp for the team. BUT honestly, why would you draft this guy if he said he didn't wanna play for you. Thats ridiculously stupid on the Bucks part. Yes, you are right it is not fair and he should come to play but honestly. You could have drafted better talent. You guys have Bogut and Villanueva...why not draft Corey Brewer or Julian Wright or even Brandan Wright.
