ESPN - Report: Yi's Chinese team to block Yi from Bucks - NBA (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2939260)
Report: Yi 'definitely not' playing for Bucks - NBA - Yahoo! Sports (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=txbucksyi&prov=st&type=lgns)

Not only is this hillarious imo but down right stupid on the part of the Bucks. Yi's people did not let the Bucks watch him work out predraft, not only that but told them flat out not to draft him. This puts the Bucks in a huge hole as far as negoitiating a trade and if nothing comes of it makes them look like complete idiots.

I think NBA has to put some safeguards in place to protect the teams against the a-holes like this. He agreed to get drafted, so he should agree to go to whichever team picks him up. And they should allow Bucks to keep rights to the guy.

Yi doesn't deserve to play in the NBA. Go back to china and stay there. I think he should be banned from the nba for 3 years and needs to re enter the draft instead of as a FA.

The NBA is all about their growing Chinese presence. I could see punishing him if he was from Romania, but Stern always rules in favor of the money.

I think the Bucks should hold their ground. If he wants to play in another league, no problem. If he wants to play in the NBA, they own his rights.

It's nonsense that incoming players think they can dictate where they go, and not even on competitive merit (Steve Francis) but cultural bias.

I heard that it may be a Chinese delegation or organization (read= part of the government), that is pulling the strings on this one. Yi may be just a pawn who probably would just love to play anywhere in the NBA, but the delegation wants to make sure the area/city where he plays has a large contingent Chinese folk there to support him......so lets not blame it all on the youngster or his immediate family and agent.

What the Bucks need to do is go back to the delegation and ask them to provide 5 cities that they would like Yi to play in. Then the Bucks go to the teams in those cities and offer Yi for player that they need. After all he was a number sixth pick....... if they indicated he would go to Detroit, I would offer them Dice strait up or NAZR and Flip Jr............

Doesn't matter whose fault it is. Just don't give his rights to any other team. We shouldn't let the Chinese government pull our strings. We're not puppets. Money or no money there are limits to certain things.

JS Online: Latest excuse from Yi's camp just ridiculous (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=634629)

Look, I know we don't have the largest Chinese community going, but I'm asking for your help with a translation question.

I need to know the Chinese word for "hogwash" so I can e-mail it without delay to Chen Haitao, owner of the Guangdong Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association.

At least I think it was Chen who was quoted Tuesday by the Beijing News. For all I know, Ted Stepien, the loose cannon whose wacky ownership of the Cleveland Cavaliers once caused the NBA to change its rules, has changed his name and moved to the south coast of China.

How else to explain the comments attributed to Chen regarding his primary asset, Yi Jianlian?

Now, we are told, it doesn't matter that Milwaukee's Chinese population is limited or that Yi can't cash in on big-time endorsements from this market.

Right.

The real reason that Yi won't suit up for the Bucks, Chen now insists, is because the 7-foot power forward won't get enough playing time in Milwaukee to prepare him for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Won't get enough minutes? Did Chen notice that the Bucks were 28-54 last year and haven't had a real power forward since Larry Krystkowiak was on the floor instead of sitting on the bench in a suit?

Did Chen catch the fact that Charlie Villanueva, the latest to try to fill the position, is coming off an injury? Or that Villanueva is really a small forward? Or that the Bucks were so desperate last year that they played Ruben Patterson, who might be 6-foot-4 standing on his wallet, at power forward?
More in the article

Yi doesn't deserve to play in the NBA. Go back to china and stay there. I think he should be banned from the nba for 3 years and needs to re enter the draft instead of as a FA.

What is the rule? Didn't Danny Ferry do something like this and had to sit out for some period of time?

In their system, things ain't got done in ways we used to do. If my memory serves me right, like Yao Ming, the Rockets pay China and China pay Yao afterward. What bothered me is China official see Yao / Yi as export commodity and people there see them as traitors who bolted for big money and being rich is always a crime over there.

I agree with all of you that say it's BS that an incoming player can hand pick their teams. It's becoming more and more prevalent. Eli Manning is a perfect example in NFL.

I say that tools have to be put in place to protect against the scum. If you don't like the way NBA is, go play in Europe and good riddance. It's not enough that those guys make millions, they're also trying to dictate.

I agree with all of you that say it's BS that an incoming player can hand pick their teams. It's becoming more and more prevalent. Eli Manning is a perfect example in NFL.

I doubt that this has anything to do with Yi. I think the Chinese government is handpicking the team, and they pick the Tigers. The Olympics are in Beijing, and there is a lot of national pride involved in the Olympics.

I doubt that this has anything to do with Yi. I think the Chinese government is handpicking the team, and they pick the Tigers. The Olympics are in Beijing, and there is a lot of national pride involved in the Olympics.
I agree that it probably isn't 100% the player. Especially in Yi's case.

I'm sure Archie Manning (Eli Manning's father and agent) had quite a bit to say on the subject when Eli was going through the draft process.

I understand that professional sports is big money business, and everyone is just trying to maximize their earnings, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

. . . and everyone is just trying to maximize their earnings, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
That's it, man, that's the way we live and I luuuuuv it.

This behaviour is nothing new and it will continue to happen until the NBA establish set rules to abide by.

IMO, what is POing everyone is this kid is chinese.

Hell, I wouldn`t want to play for the Bucks either, however, at his age sign a 3year deal, and get the hell out of there after that if you still aren`t happy!

I wouldn't necessarily pin this stuff on Yi or his people. The Chinese government (through the official sports agencies) is obsessed with micromanaging athletes' careers. Look how they're treating a couple of other Chinese NBAers (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2940570):

China's official sports association has issued an unprecedented public criticism of Yao Ming for reporting late to national team training.

The Houston Rockets' star was faulted for taking too much time off to recover from his last NBA season. The government's All-China Sports Federation also said he spent too much time planning his wedding and making appearances for the Special Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
...
"No matter how sweet personal life is, it can't be compared to the exultation of capturing glory for one's nation,'' the article said.

Yet Tuesday's article carried echoes of the bitter accusations hurled at former Dallas Mavericks player Wang Zhizhi, the first Chinese player in the NBA who refused to return to play with the national team. Wang was labeled an immature ingrate and suffered a five-year estrangement from Chinese basketball that ended only last year after he made a humiliating apology.

Milwaukee just needs to wise up and trade the turkey. Dumars would never take a player who didn't want to come to Detroit...............That was a bad decision on their part.

I wouldn't necessarily pin this stuff on Yi or his people. The Chinese government (through the official sports agencies) is obsessed with micromanaging athletes' careers. Look how they're treating a couple of other Chinese NBAers (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2940570):

You have to remember, that in some countries Olympics and World Championships are #1 sporting event and everything is geared towards participation and wins in those. In my years in Ukraine Olympics were getting really really extensive coverage. All athletes would kill for participation in the games. It is different cultural environment. That is why the reaction.

My whole point on this was that the Bucks made a huge stupid mistake, one that could impact the team for years. I feel no pity for them and will lose no sleep over it. I just can’t believe a team is that DUMB.

Players they could have picked like Brewer, Wright, Noah, Hawes, Law or Young would not have had the same global impact that they were hoping for (they were hoping for Yo no Yao... stupid Visa bit sorry) but could have really helped the team. This is a case of trying to hard to be something your not. Hmmm when I think of a global basketball mecca I think Milwaukee :pound:

Imo China and Japan don’t want to send superstars to loser teams....Dice K did not end up with the Kansas City Royals......Matsui did not end up in Cincinnati for the Reds. Yao ended up with Houston but they have won a title in the last decade so perhaps they thought the team could win again???? Then again Ichiro messes my whole train of thought on that. :gettinghanged: :frusty:



Screw it I just think Milwaukee is retarded and does not deserve a team. Stupid moments in Milwaukee history trade Kareem and pick Yi nuff said

It may haved been a pick that they anticipated trading from the beginning.

CCTV International (http://www.cctv.com/program/sportsscene/20070720/102719.shtml)

Yi Jianlian has finally broken his silence on the controversy surrounding his NBA future, saying Chinese fans are wrong to blame his agent Dan Fegan for the ongoing stand-off with the Milwaukee Bucks.
His words reaffirm his desire to be traded by the franchise, which took him with the sixth pick in the 2007 NBA Draft despite his objections.
"Fegan is a responsible agent, and I have a lot of fun working with him," Yi told reporters at the national team training camp in Beijing. "So far we have cooperated really well and our relationship is not as bad as media and fans speculate."
As Yi's stand-off with the Bucks continues, many in China have started to criticize Fegan believing him to be the main barrier preventing the player from committing to the franchise.
But Yi said this is not the case.
"I've read some of the media reports, but I don't think he has made too many decisions for me," he said. "It's clear that he works for me, so everything he is doing is based on my ideas."
His comments drew an instant reaction from netizens.
Of 2,400 respondents to a Sina.com poll, 84 percent said Yi's words were "unwise" and just 6 percent believed he should back his agent.

freeze him out. plus milwaukee was stupid to draft him, knowing that there would be ill results.

freeze him out. plus milwaukee was stupid to draft him, knowing that there would be ill results.
They weren't sure, so I guess they decided to take the risk and so far getting burned. This would be somewhat reminiscent of Joe D. taking Darko and knowing all the risks.

Why can't they trade him for a lesser pick?

Why can't they trade him for a lesser pick?
They would need to get a list of teams that is approved by Yi, his agent, the coach of his Chinese team, Chinese basketball federation, Chinese government, and a couple of billion of Chinese basketball fans to make sure there are no issues.
:pound: :pound: :pound:

This behaviour is nothing new and it will continue to happen until the NBA establish set rules to abide by.

IMO, what is POing everyone is this kid is chinese.

Hell, I wouldn`t want to play for the Bucks either, however, at his age sign a 3year deal, and get the hell out of there after that if you still aren`t happy!


Exactly. Sign your 3 year deal and then go to where you want to go. The Bucks are kind of stupid for drafting a guy they never seen. The smart thing would have been to ask who wanted Yi at #6 and traded down out of that pick and get another player and a draft pick.

They could easily trade him for Joakim Noah, right?

The Bulls would do it. China would be cool with it.

So, it seems like that is their worst case scenario.

They could easily trade him for Joakim Noah, right?

The Bulls would do it. China would be cool with it.

So, it seems like that is their worst case scenario.
In Chicago he'd be stuck behind Thomas and Joe Smith. So, no go.
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/2360/longmarchchenyiec1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

In Chicago he'd be stuck behind Thomas and Joe Smith. So, no go.
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/2360/longmarchchenyiec1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Is Joe Smith that good?

Is Joe Smith that good?
They seemed to think that whoever Milwaukee has is good enough to keep Yi on the bench. So, I'd say Joe Smith couldn't be worse.

So is the issue that he will be benched, or that he will be benched in Milwaukee?

So is the issue that he will be benched, or that he will be benched in Milwaukee?
The issue is that he's not going to get enough playing time and therefore not be ready for the Olympics, thus ruining Chinese team's chances of winning it.

I thought that he would get playing time in Milwaukee, but they didn't want him there because there isn't enough of a Chinese population there... not that that makes any sense either.

I cannot even fathom this kind of external pressure on life decisions. I thought it was suffocating when I was pressured to pursue a career as an accountant by my parents.

The expectations of 1 billion people being placed on one young man shows little regard for his humanity and individuality.

I don't remember this being some huge issue when Wang ZhiZhi came into the league, or when that 8' tall chick played for the Sparks in the first WNBA season. This new capitlistic global economy is a mutha.

I don't remember this being some huge issue when Wang ZhiZhi came into the league, or when that 8' tall chick played for the Sparks in the first WNBA season. This new capitlistic global economy is a mutha.

I think it is more a left over from the old Communist regime rather than the China's pseudo capitalistic one that they have now.

The Communist party in China is not only not extant but they still runs the country with an iron fist and as enlightened Communists, which means its okay for people to get rich as long as it doesn't conflict with "The People's Interests" i.e.; the interests of the ruling Communist party and its leaders.

This is not capitalism at all.

:hoops:

Yi also said he's been impressed by Milwaukee so far, and is eager to explore the city that has a tiny Asian population and is known more for beer and bratwurst than cultural diversity.


"On the freeway I saw a big electronic billboard (and) my picture was on it," Yi said. "It was a big surprise to me and I feel excited. It's a beautiful city, nice downtown, you've got lake, you've got river. It seems comfortable here."

I wonder if Prince has his own billboard in "Beer Town"

http://www.prosportspictures.com/images/mlb/milwaukee-brewers/2006//06-prince-fielder-batting-1-GX17106.jpg


Prince Fielder Will Win The NL MVP

Prince of New York: Prince Fielder Will Win The NL MVP (http://paullebowitz.mlblogs.com/my_weblog/2007/09/prince_fielder_.html)

Prince Fielder Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com (http://www.baseball-reference.com/f/fieldpr01.shtml)

Yi practices with Bucks for the first time after arriving from China, dodges age question - NBA - Yahoo! Sports (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AnTBPuf2MywR88dBtXVqvaW8vLYF?slug=ap-bucks-yibegins&prov=ap&type=lgns)

:hoops: