<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class="wsjstorybody1"> ST. FRANCIS -- After nearly 17 hours of travel across the Northern Hemisphere and through the flatlands of Illinois, Yi Jianlian finally arrived in Milwaukee Wednesday night.</p> And as he approached city limits, a familiar face welcomed the Milwaukee Bucks' top draft pick to the city he initially didn't want to come to.</p> ''On the freeway, I saw a big electronic billboard with my picture on it," Yi said through his translator Roy Lu.<span> </span>"It was a big picture.<span> </span>I feel excited." </p> </div> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">Yi "just relaxed" Wednesday night, then excited teammates by practicing for the first time with his new team Thursday morning at the Cousins Center in a workout that would be best described as average.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">But that didn't matter to the Bucks -- or to coach Larry Krystkowiak.<span> </span>They were just happy to see the sixth overall pick on the floor.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">"We're thrilled to have him here," Krystkowiak said of Yi, who missed Milwaukee's first two practices while still playing basketball in China.<span> </span>"He was able to get out and play and have fun.<span> </span>He fit right in with our guys."</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">Yi (pronounced EE) practiced for over two hours with his new teammates, many of whom took some time to instruct and encourage the 7-foot, 238-pound Chinese phenom.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">"We just told him, 'If you need any help, we're here to help you,'" Bucks center Andrew Bogut said.<span> </span>"But from what I've seen, he's a smart guy.<span> </span>He picks things up pretty quickly."</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">Yi looked a little overwhelmed and lethargic at times, and didn't shoot the ball particularly well.<span> </span>He threw up two air balls in a one-on-one drill, and had trouble defending Bucks guards Charlie Bell and Mo Williams in the same drill.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">"We'll go light and break him in here slowly," Krystkowiak said.<span> </span>"The pace that we get going with in the NBA, I don't know what pace he's used to, but this is a time for him to catch his breath.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">"But I thought he looked comfortable.<span> </span>His shooting is the last thing I'm concerned with right now."</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">Yi, who played the last five years with the Guandong Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association, spoke with a large contingent of English media about his first day mostly through Lu, but did manage to show everybody his English skills.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">"Getting here this morning for practice, I was tired," Yi said in clear English.<span> </span>"I think it will get better a couple days later.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">"With the offense, sometimes I have problems.<span> </span>But my teammates are telling me how to do that.<span> </span>The players are real nice guys."</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">Forward Desmond Mason and guard Michael Redd were just a few of Yi's teammates that offered to instruct the 19-year-old in between drills, much of the time without any significant language barriers to overcome.</p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">"I don't think I have a big problem communicating with (teammates)," Yi said through Lu.<span> </span>"Most of what they're saying I understand."</div></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal">Source: Wisconsin State Journal</p>
