Last week, hiking through the ancient forts of the Great Wall was an unlikely figure: Stephon Marbury, the latest, and perhaps the most enigmatic, NBA refugee to bring his game to China.
You don't have to be a basketball fan to look up to Yao Ming, who at 7-feet-6-inches (2.29 meters) is now the tallest active player in NBA basketball.
Yi Jianlian got off to a rocky start in his introduction to Bucks fans. On his first offensive touch in the first quarter of Milwaukee's preseason home opener against the Utah Jazz, the celebrated rookie promptly slipped and traveled. On his second touch, he dribbled the ball off his foot, and followed up that miscue with an air ball on his first shot attempt.
Irresponsible. That was the word chosen by Guangdong Tigers chief Chen Haitao when describing how the Chinese Basketball Association would feel if they allowed 19-year-old Yi Jianlian to play next season for the Milwaukee Bucks. Seems Milwaukee, with all their young talent in the frontcourt, would pose too much of a challenge for Yi to play significant minutes next season.
It is a warm and sunny June afternoon in Los Angeles when Yi Jianlian shows up for a workout. There is little fanfare accompanying the arrival of China's latest U.S. export, just a dutiful manager trailing him through the double doors of L.A.'s Home Depot Center and a trainer patiently waiting for him on the other side. Ever since China first approved Yi's entrance into the NBA draft last November, people have wondered if Yi is the next Yao Ming.
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