The reality of Yi

[SportsTicker]

While the street skills may be sub-par at times, there is no shortage of basketball love. When I went shopping in a ritzy section of downtown Beijing, I was greeted by a block-long Nike billboard featuring Yi Jianlian flanked by two other Chinese Olympians. As I stared up at the gargantuan Yi, his piercing midnight eyes staring right back, I realized that the NBA has truly arrived in China.


http://slamonline.com/online/2008/07/china-journal-2/

 

[danxcr]

ya basketball is huge in asia... im from the philippines and when i went to visit my motherland

people played basketball in slippers... and they had people watchin and cheering in pick up games... not even organized but guys would just play to play.... and there was a crowd... during my trip there i stoped at taipei, taiwan and there were so many posters of Yao at the time

im happy for the sport... lets hope Yi succeeds with the nets... i am excited...

 

[J-HoAgZ]

I feel kinda bad for Yi. Yeah he has talent and he's living his dream of playin in the NBA. But, he gets so much pressure from China and everything.. I wish him the best.

 

[Malorkayel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (J-HoAgZ @ Jul 1 2008, 10:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I feel kinda bad for Yi. Yeah he has talent and he's living his dream of playin in the NBA. But, he gets so much pressure from China and everything.. I wish him the best.</div>


Yi is now in a much better position than previous. He was sink or swim with the Bucks. Now, with the nets, he'll have to gather himself and man up.

Yi will probably be the best talent from China for the next 10 years. They list him as 7 foot, but he's clearly taller than Bogut by an inch. He has no physical weaknesses, it's up to Yi to prove he has what it takes mentally.