NBA: Yao and Yi the “Bridge” to Basketball as “Everyday” Activity

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NBA China CEO Tim Chen thinks Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian are big parts of the NBA’s growth. In an interview with Sports Business Daily, Chen described Yao and Yi “as a bridge to making basketball as being a part of everyday life in China”. So far, so good, he says but the league is banking on a lot more, planning up to 1,000 NBA stores. “We’re in the right place at the right time with the Olympics”, he added.

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Catching Up with the NBA's Tim Chen and Heidi Ueberroth - Tripp Mickle - Sports Business Daily

Well, here's a big, obvious reason as to why we got Yi.