Agent: Yi Looking For Trade - Page 2 - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

ty · 07-09-2007, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalmations202

I haven't checked out the players, numbers, or anything, but James, TMac, Battier, Yi and Yao sounds like a lineup that could be very good in 2-3 years.

Then sign Sun Yue and bring back Wang Zhi Zhi/Mengke Bateer and you've got Team China.

DOMINATOR · 07-17-2007, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dalmations202

Houston might make a play for him and it might be a good idea to unite him and Yao together.

I haven't checked out the players, numbers, or anything, but James, TMac, Battier, Yi and Yao sounds like a lineup that could be very good in 2-3 years.

china wouldn't do that... they don't want Yi in Yao's shadow. and rockets would be the softest team in the league easily... although i dont think scola is much tougher.

ty · 07-09-2007, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henry_VIII

That's not entirely true. The survival of the game of basketball is not dependent upon money.

Of course the game in itself isn't dependent on money. But that's not what I said. I said that the NBA was dependent on marketing and sponsorships.

Think about it. An NBA without marketing and sponsorships. That means low to no television broadcast. Take out most of the NBA gear that you see in retail. Reduce game attendance by hundreds if not thousands. And get ready for this one...NO NBA Cares. =/

You'll basically end up with the ABA. Have you heard about the ABA lately? I haven't. =/

alby · 07-09-2007, 12:48 AM

The NBA became a marketing business ever since David Stern started to send players all over the world to popularize his league (after the 1992 Dream Team). We live in an age of endorsements and advertising--the Chinese government see it as another opportunity for them to "showcase" their home grown talents which would be done best in a big market. Honestly, if Yi was drafted by a big market that didn't have a large Asian population (ie Miami), I personally believe he would have joined the team with no problems. However, when you are talking about Milwaukee, it is a very small market with a very small Asian population not only in the city but in the entire region. How many Asians do you think live in the Midwest compared to the Northeast or West Coast?

Janett_Reno · 07-09-2007, 02:31 AM

That would be a great loss for the Bucks to have this high of draft pick and lose it. Yi hasn't looked all that good so far but i notice he is shooting alot of ft's. He must drive alot and get fouled.

alby · 07-09-2007, 01:25 PM

The NBA would be dead without marketing. It would become like the And1 Mixtape tour, relying on gimmicks to attract a fanbase. Without marketing, you would have no superstars, you would not be able to distinguish any of the faces that you do now because of advertisements and endorsements, the youth of America wouldn't come across VC's windmill dunk or Jordan's tongue wagging, or anything that defines each player. There would be no Yao Ming's or Dirk Nowitzki's because the NBA would be a very isolated entity just talked about within the restricted walls of each NBA city.

Henry_VIII · 07-09-2007, 02:18 PM

hmmm.....
I'm not arguing for the removal of marketing from the NBA. I'm in full support of it in fact (for the same reasons you listed ty/alby--well maybe minus NBA Cares

). I just believe that you must protect the product. If the product is compromised for the sake of the marketing, then it is only time before the product is worthless. So far, I see no tampering . Hopefully, the business side is able to work all of this out to every one's satisfaction. I will be disappointed if China's marketing machine is able to encroach on Milwaukee's franchise interests.

Edit:
Summation: The product is equally important to the marketing machine promoting it.

alby · 07-09-2007, 07:52 PM

That is true, you can't tamper with the product--but the fact of the matter is, there are holdouts and trade demands every single year. To me, this isn't very different.

Big Boy Laroux · 07-13-2007, 10:21 AM

yes, and that was a HUGE fight with the NCAA to get his eligibility back. He's the only person that the NCAA has allowed back. That probably set a precedent now, to say that as long as you aren't drafted, then you still get your eligibility. But morris (and kentucky) had quite a battle with the NCAA over that.

Big Boy Laroux · 07-13-2007, 10:23 AM

I know Wiki isn't the end-all be all, but this is what it says:

The NBA has established two draft declaration dates. All players who wish to be drafted, and are not automatically eligible, must declare their eligibility no later than 60 days before the draft. After this date, prospective draftees may attend NBA pre-draft camps and individual team workouts to show off their skills and obtain feedback regarding their draft positions. A player may withdraw his name from consideration from the draft at any time before the final declaration date, which is 10 days before the draft. A player who declares for the draft will lose his college eligibility, even if he is not drafted, if any of the following is true:

The player signs with an agent.
The player has declared for and withdrawn from a previous draft. Although the NBA collective bargaining agreement allows a player to withdraw twice,[1] the NCAA only allows one withdrawal.

Big Boy Laroux · 07-13-2007, 10:24 AM

I think that was the case with Morris. He declared and withdrew after his freshman year, then declared after his sophomore year. So he lost his eligibility, then fought for it.

So a slight variation of what I said before.

Big Boy Laroux · 07-13-2007, 10:27 AM

double post

Big Boy Laroux · 07-13-2007, 10:27 AM

double post

Big Boy Laroux · 07-13-2007, 10:28 AM

found another site that says something different, more along the lines of what I said before:

The NBA has established two draft declaration dates. Players who wish to be drafted and are not automatically eligible and must declare their eligibility on or before the first declaration date. Following this date, the NBA runs several pre-draft camps for prospective draftees to allow them to show their skills to the league's teams. Teams may also audition players individually. A player may withdraw his name from consideration from the draft at any time before the final declaration date, which is one week before the draft. Players do not lose their college eligibility by declaring for the draft on the initial date unless they have, in any previous year, declared and withdrawn from the draft; however, if they stay in the draft at the final declaration date, they lose further college eligibility whether or not they are drafted. Also, signing with an agent automatically ends a player's college eligibility. Underclassmen may withdraw from the draft only once.

Dirkgreatness · 07-17-2007, 09:58 PM

ESPN.com: NBA [Print without images]

Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Report: Chinese team says Bucks not best for Yi

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reuters

BEIJING -- The Milwaukee Bucks' campaign to secure the services of reluctant power forward Yi Jianlian has suffered a blow after the player's Chinese club said it would block his move to the United States.

Yi, taken by Milwaukee with the sixth selection in the NBA draft last month, would "definitely not" play for Milwaukee, Tuesday's Beijing News quoted Guangdong Tigers chief, Chen Haitao, as saying.

"This is not -- as media reports have said -- because Milwaukee, as a city with very few Chinese people, is not good for Yi's commercial development," Chen said.

"Rather we want to find a team suitable for Yi's growth. That's the root of the problem," he added.

Earlier in July, Yi's Chinese agent said the unsigned player was looking to be traded to another club, despite pledges by Milwaukee officials to do whatever they could to make him feel at home.

Chen expressed concern that Yi would have trouble getting playing time with the Bucks, whose squad boasts Australian 7-footer Andrew Bogut and a number of other tall young players.

"The national team and the Olympic Games are now our key considerations ... If [Yi] goes to a team where he can't compete, that would be being irresponsible to the national team," Chen said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print...260&type=story

dude1394 · 07-17-2007, 10:16 PM

The bucks are in a no-win situation here. It's not like Yi has free will to do what he wants, he'll do what the communists say he will do, period.

If they want him to sit a year, he sits a year. They don't care, they are paying him anyway.

So imo, they screwed up big time and better trade him soon. They won't get that much for him either because of the crap that the chinese have pulled here, whoever takes him will have to negotiate with them first.

DevinHarriswillstart · 07-17-2007, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dude1394

The bucks are in a no-win situation here. It's not like Yi has free will to do what he wants, he'll do what the communists say he will do, period.

If they want him to sit a year, he sits a year. They don't care, they are paying him anyway.

So imo, they screwed up big time and better trade him soon. They won't get that much for him either because of the crap that the chinese have pulled here, whoever takes him will have to negotiate with them first.

You can't change the league for Communism though. If China isn't gonna play by the rules, then don't put players in the draft. Pretty simple. I'm completely on the Buck's side. Ridiculous. Not only is it hard enough to get a high draft pick with the roll of the dice lottery machine...now you have to roll the dice by picking the player you want? Let him stay in China then.

dude1394 · 07-17-2007, 11:04 PM

DHWS...You can be on milwaukees side all you want, but that doesn't change the bottom line that they have no leverage here, none.

Only david stern could fix this and quite frankly he really should. Having the communist chinese dictate where their players go is going to much up the league pretty good if more come out.

This team is good because he can start, this team isn't because there is competition.. (jezz...sorta sounds communist doesn't it??) or that they will get more dollars in endorsements from him really shouldn't be allowed.

Actually stern should come out and say this is bullcrap because it's not like Yi is making this decision. If he was I could back him, but I'm starting to come around that this shouldn't be allowed. It's not like Yi is making the call to lose millions to sit out, his masters are.

chumdawg · 07-18-2007, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dude1394

So imo, they screwed up big time and better trade him soon.

That's exactly right. I know a lot of people were on the Bucks's side in the beginning, pimping how the NBA "sets the rules." That was foolish. You always want to know who has the hammer. The Bucks do NOT have the hammer in this case. And they should have never thought they did. Yi has the hammer. He is NOT beholden to the NBA contract.

Now, the Bucks could possibly have the hammer if they will have several suitors for Yi and they drafted him just to deal him. But if they intended to keep him, they cut their own balls. And that would have been a monumentally poor decision, given the state of this draft (it's not like they drafted him 15th, after all the bluechippers were gone).

They better have drafted him in order to deal him. But they are probably now holding out for a bigger haul than they are likely to get. Man, how often can Milwaukee screw it up?

pkdumas · 07-17-2007, 11:10 PM

It's a game. Yi can do whatever the hell he wants. Is he an asshole? Don't know, never met him.

DevinHarriswillstart · 07-17-2007, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pkdumas

It's a game. Yi can do whatever the hell he wants. Is he an asshole? Don't know, never met him.

Actually, he can't if Milwauke owns his rights. At least, he can't play the NBA. It's just a game right? Well you can bet Milwauke will do everything in its power to win this "game."

dude1394 · 07-18-2007, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Actually, he can't if Milwauke owns his rights. At least, he can't play the NBA. It's just a game right? Well you can bet Milwauke will do everything in its power to win this "game."

Well by the nba rules I believe (at least I think I've read in this thread) that if he sits out a year he can be re-drafted.

dude1394 · 07-18-2007, 12:10 AM

If Yi were making a personal decision based on his best interests I'd be more inclined to say more power to him. However in this case he is not, the system is being manipulated by the chinese government.

Yi isn't "deciding" not to go and collect the millions, he's being told not to go and shut up about it. It sort of throws the whole thing on it's head imo.

And definitely the bucks are screwed unless they petition stern to do something about it.

chumdawg · 07-18-2007, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dude1394

If Yi were making a personal decision based on his best interests I'd be more inclined to say more power to him. However in this case he is not, the system is being manipulated by the chinese government.

Yi isn't "deciding" not to go and collect the millions, he's being told not to go and shut up about it. It sort of throws the whole thing on it's head imo.

And definitely the bucks are screwed unless they petition stern to do something about it.

You can't separate Yi and the Chinese government. They are intertwined, and they were intertwined from the beginning. If the Bucks didn't have a deal in place when they drafted him, then the Bucks took a hell of a gamble.

The Chinese government (read: Yi) doesn't need the NBA rookie contract.

If this thing carries on for a long period, the Chinese government is going to get what they want--and that's guaranteed. They have nothing to lose.

pkdumas · 07-18-2007, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Actually, he can't if Milwauke owns his rights. At least, he can't play the NBA. It's just a game right? Well you can bet Milwauke will do everything in its power to win this "game."

Booyah!!!! ... Wait, nevermind. Yi might not be in the NBA this year, but, uhhh, so much for the Bucks 7th pick. Looks like they won't win nothing in this "game".

As long as it doesn't happen to the Mavs, THIS IS FUNNY!

chumdawg · 07-18-2007, 12:12 AM

Maybe you are right. But I think I have heard that if you offer the guy a first-round contract his rights are yours. In other words, I don't think Yi is getting free entry to the draft next year.

But that still doesn't affect Yi's hammer. His hammer is that he doesn't need to come to the NBA in the first place. It's quite a different story between Yi and an American guy who either has to report to the NBA or try to make his way in international ball.

I have thought from the beginning that this was a battle the Bucks were dumb to fight. Basically, when a guy tells you he will not play with you--and particularly when he has some leverage to back it up--you are pretty damn foolish if you think you can make him play with you. I expect that the Bucks drafted him to deal him. Otherwise, they may well have wasted a very, very valuable draft pick.

chumdawg · 07-18-2007, 12:21 AM

The Bucks aren't out a whole lot, if they don't want to be. The Warriors would give their draft pick, Brandan Wright, and a second-rounder (or cash) for Yi right now. This is exactly why the Bucks did the deal. Their absolute worst case scenario is that they drop a couple spots in the draft. Which, assuming they had traded the 6 for the 8 with the Warriors straight up, is only one off from where they would have been in the first place. This way they get to hold GSW hostage in case they get a better offer, or end up taking the simple drop down two slots. Not a big deal.

DevinHarriswillstart · 07-18-2007, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chumdawg

The Bucks aren't out a whole lot, if they don't want to be. The Warriors would give their draft pick, Brandan Wright, and a second-rounder (or cash) for Yi right now. This is exactly why the Bucks did the deal. Their absolute worst case scenario is that they drop a couple spots in the draft. Which, assuming they had traded the 6 for the 8 with the Warriors straight up, is only one off from where they would have been in the first place. This way they get to hold GSW hostage in case they get a better offer, or end up taking the simple drop down two slots. Not a big deal.

What a terrible example to set....then what? A bunch of whiney lottery picks wanting a different team? I mean yeah Yi for Wright, so whatever right? This is so anti-Stern that it kills me. The guy HAS to have control...so why not control it? Punishing small-market teams is the absolute worst thing in sports. The Chinese are going to root for Yi, no matter what, so who cares about the so-called problem of only 1200 Chinese residents in Milwauke. This is almost a Race issue if you think about it. So only Chinese can come to cheer for Yi? What if Germany said Dirk can't play because Dallas has a small number of German residents. We'd be totally screwed right about now.

chumdawg · 07-18-2007, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

What a terrible example to set....then what? A bunch of whiney lottery picks wanting a different team? I mean yeah Yi for Wright, so whatever right? This is so anti-Stern that it kills me. The guy HAS to have control...so why not control it? Punishing small-market teams is the absolute worst thing in sports. The Chinese are going to root for Yi, no matter what, so who cares about the so-called problem of only 1200 Chinese residents in Milwauke. This is almost a Race issue if you think about it. So only Chinese can come to cheer for Yi? What if Germany said Dirk can't play because Dallas has a small number of German residents. We'd be totally screwed right about now.

Well, if the Germans did, and made their intentions known from the get-go, then yeah, we would. Don't underestimate the signals the Chinese sent before the draft.

DevinHarriswillstart · 07-18-2007, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chumdawg

Well, if the Germans did, and made their intentions known from the get-go, then yeah, we would. Don't underestimate the signals the Chinese sent before the draft.

Goverments and/or peoples of other countries don't dictate the NBA. Milwauke knows this....thats why they got him.

dude1394 · 07-18-2007, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

What a terrible example to set....then what? A bunch of whiney lottery picks wanting a different team? I mean yeah Yi for Wright, so whatever right? This is so anti-Stern that it kills me. The guy HAS to have control...so why not control it? Punishing small-market teams is the absolute worst thing in sports. The Chinese are going to root for Yi, no matter what, so who cares about the so-called problem of only 1200 Chinese residents in Milwauke. This is almost a Race issue if you think about it. So only Chinese can come to cheer for Yi? What if Germany said Dirk can't play because Dallas has a small number of German residents. We'd be totally screwed right about now.

I think the small-market comment is pretty right on and that's why I actually think stern should address this.

kingmalaki · 07-21-2007, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

What a terrible example to set....then what? A bunch of whiney lottery picks wanting a different team? I mean yeah Yi for Wright, so whatever right? This is so anti-Stern that it kills me. The guy HAS to have control...so why not control it? Punishing small-market teams is the absolute worst thing in sports. The Chinese are going to root for Yi, no matter what, so who cares about the so-called problem of only 1200 Chinese residents in Milwauke. This is almost a Race issue if you think about it. So only Chinese can come to cheer for Yi? What if Germany said Dirk can't play because Dallas has a small number of German residents. We'd be totally screwed right about now.

There is no precedent being set, in the NBA or in other professional leagues. This kind of thing rarely happens, but it has happened before and will continue to happen as long as the drafted player has some options...some leverage. Prior to signing a contract saying "I won't report and you will waste your pick" is all the leverage a player has. It just rarely happens because how many dudes have the option to make big cheese doing something else? Foreign players like Yi have that option. They probably won't make as much as they could in the NBA but they would still make some serious money.

That's why I don't see why everyone is so pissed at this kid...this is nothing new, especially when dealing with foreign players. Sabonis chose an international league over the NBA in 1989. Vasquez did the same to Orlando just a few seasons ago. If a foreign player doesn't like the city that picked him for whatever reason, is it that suprising for them to say I don't want to go there, when I could stay here and still play basketball? Was it that suprising when Elway was like I would rather play baseball or whatever than play for Baltimore? Some big-time college QB just got passed on by many NFL teams because he chose to play baseball instead. Ainge chose basketball over other sports...and I'm assuming someone drafted him. Being drafted just gives a team your rights....but if you don't feel that going there is the best thing for you then you have every right to tell that team to go to hell, especially when you told them from day 1 "I don't want to play there...don't come see me work out, etc". I'm amazed that a bunch of Americans would choose the rights of a corporation over a free individual in this case...

Dr.Zoidberg · 07-18-2007, 04:44 AM

I think the importance of Yi for the Chinese government is a little overrated here. How could the government profit from Yi playing at a place with a huge Chinese population?

In my opinion the government has nothing to do with it. It´s all about the merchandising and money. The problem is the greed for money of the Chinese club Yi was playing for and his management.

So the key for Yi and the Bucks is to come to terms with his club (contractual and moneywise) and for Yi to change the management at best. It can´t be that hard to buy him out of his contract. Here is the question: Are the Bucks willing to pay the price?

All in all this is a very preposterous charade.

BEEMER · 07-20-2007, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Zoidberg

I think the importance of Yi for the Chinese government is a little overrated here. How could the government profit from Yi playing at a place with a huge Chinese population?

In my opinion the government has nothing to do with it. It´s all about the merchandising and money. The problem is the greed for money of the Chinese club Yi was playing for and his management.

So the key for Yi and the Bucks is to come to terms with his club (contractual and moneywise) and for Yi to change the management at best. It can´t be that hard to buy him out of his contract. Here is the question: Are the Bucks willing to pay the price?

All in all this is a very preposterous charade.

listen now....everyone needs to get out of this American(democracy government) way of thinking. No need to be mad at Yi. No need to start pointing fingers. Yi, if you didnt know is Chinese, and the Chinese, if you didnt know, is a Communist Nation. Yi is a part of what the Chinese call the Red Army or something like that. Basically, the Chinese control Yi. Yi cannot simply change management, or be bought out. Yi does not have the rights that you and I have. At any point in time China can say, Yi come back now. And basically he would have to, and if he didnt, then look at Wang Zhi-Zhi. A career over in the NBA b/c he never wanted to leave Dallas and go back to China. Well now he is back in China and they will never let him back in the NBA again. Communism is the complete opposite of our democracy. You cannot say what you wish, you cannot oppose the governement. You do not have what we have that makes America so great. The right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Those things do not exsist. No freedom of speech. No freedom of press. Nothing, it is all controlled by the government. This is, in all reality, no matter what you think is a very delicate situation, b/c the NBA needs Yi, Yi does not need the NBA. I say this because of David Stern and the NBA wanting to expand. And if we piss the Chinese off, it could be years before that heals. The NBA is a business. And as a business, you will make the best decision for the business as a whole. And NBA expansion across the world is more important than the Milwauke franchise. As bad as it sounds, this is the truth. This is business. Mil is wanting to hire Yi for his services. They own his rights for 1 year. They knew before hand this was a delicate situation because the wishes of the player do not matter at all here. Not even a little bit. Typically players tell their agents what they want(remembering that players are in the NBA to make a living doing a job that they love) and their agents go find the options do the negotiating of money and what they believe is best for the player, but in the end the player decides if he wants to play with that team or not, peform his job for that company. He doesnt have to, and his agent wont negotiate with a team that his client has no interest in working for. In Yi's case, he has no say, and his "agent" the government are calling the shots. If Yi does not like it then he cant just fire them. For all we know Yi could be sitting back thinking, damn people just let me go play. We dont know. But what i do know is that this is not Yi's decision and never will be. And he might not even care, he is already an international STAR, makes good money, and plays the game he loves for a job. Yi does not need the NBA. Not like a player coming out of college who say got drafted number 6, they certainly would not hold out this long because, this is their job, and if they sit out a year, they either have to go flip some burgers or go international...and thats a hard road to go down. Yi doesnt have that road. He is already a celebirty. Mil made a bad and terrible business decision by takin Yi with number 6 pick in a loaded draft knowing that the Chinese governement does not want him playing there. I hope you can see my perspective on this, knowing that this is more than a player holding out of his contract, and the typical college player would not do this because well most of these guys are hoping to support their whole family with their paycheck. They ofton dont have very many appealing back up plans. Yi and the Chinese do. So they(Chinese) have the final word.

DevinHarriswillstart · 07-18-2007, 06:52 AM

Chinese Club Will Block Yi's Move To Milwaukee
July 17, 2007 - 10:41 am
ESPN -
The Milwaukee Bucks ' campaign to secure the services of reluctant power forward Yi Jianlian has suffered a blow after the player's Chinese club said it would block his move to the United States.

Yi, taken by Milwaukee with the sixth selection in the NBA draft last month, would "definitely not" play for Milwaukee, Tuesday's Beijing News quoted Guangdong Tigers chief, Chen Haitao, as saying.

"This is not -- as media reports have said -- because Milwaukee, as a city with very few Chinese people, is not good for Yi's commercial development," Chen said.

"Rather we want to find a team suitable for Yi's growth. That's the root of the problem," he added. [READ]

Bullllllllllllllll

dude1394 · 07-18-2007, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevinHarriswillstart

Chinese Club Will Block Yi's Move To Milwaukee
July 17, 2007 - 10:41 am
ESPN -
The Milwaukee Bucks ' campaign to secure the services of reluctant power forward Yi Jianlian has suffered a blow after the player's Chinese club said it would block his move to the United States.

Yi, taken by Milwaukee with the sixth selection in the NBA draft last month, would "definitely not" play for Milwaukee, Tuesday's Beijing News quoted Guangdong Tigers chief, Chen Haitao, as saying.

"This is not -- as media reports have said -- because Milwaukee, as a city with very few Chinese people, is not good for Yi's commercial development," Chen said.

"Rather we want to find a team suitable for Yi's growth. That's the root of the problem," he added. [READ]

Bullllllllllllllll

This is pretty bull-honkeyish. I read that part of the problem was Bogut and that he would get Yi's time. I don't see it, Yi looked much more fluid that bogut.

Big Boy Laroux · 07-18-2007, 09:54 AM

why can't Yi and bogut play together? Yi seems like more of perimiter player than bogut.

what other big men does milwaukee have? gadzuric?

start mo williams (was he resigned?), redd, villenueva, yi, bogut. am i forgetting anyone?

Dirkgreatness · 07-18-2007, 10:06 AM

Dang, China is harsh on their players.

Chinese officials critical of tardy Yao
/ Associated Press
Posted: 13 minutes ago

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, as well spending too much time planning his wedding and making appearances for the Special Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

"No matter how lofty public welfare activities are, they can't be allowed to take first place in a player's life," the China Sports Daily, a newspaper owned by the government's All-China Sports Federation, said in an article Tuesday.

"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.

Chinese Web sites later said Yao reported for national team training on Wednesday.

The article quoted the national basketball center director Li Yuanwei saying the team's Olympic preparations were built around their major star. Li said he hoped Yao would join the team later this month in the Stankovic Cup.

"Without Yao Ming, a warmup competition is far less valuable," the article said.

Throughout his three seasons in the NBA, Yao has largely escaped criticism from China's official media and the government by honoring his national team commitments.

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 an five-year estrangement from Chinese basketball that ended only last year after he made a humiliating apology.

China's other players were "flinging sweat like snow" while Yao recovered from the season, said the article, which also criticized Yao's handlers for not realizing his market value drew largely from his uniqueness as a Chinese player.

China will face an All-Star team from the NBA Development League in the Stankovic Cup at home, where the host team will include recent draft pick Yi Jianlian.

The Milwaukee Bucks picked Yi with the No. 6 pick in the NBA draft, but he hasn't committed to playing for them because his agent hoped he would be drafted by a team in a market with a larger Chinese population.

Chinese fans and the former national coach have urged Yi to sign with the Bucks, but the owner of his former team in China, the Guangdong Tigers, recently suggested the 7-foot (2.13-meter) power forward's NBA career could be over before it even begins.

"If the Bucks insist, Yi will go back" to the Chinese league, Chen Haitao was quoted as saying in Tuesday's Chinese-language Beijing News.

http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/7034974?print=true

Dirkenstien · 07-18-2007, 10:14 AM

Yi is an idiot. Playing for the Bucks would be a terriffic opportunity for him to learn and progress without the pressure of coming on strong at the start.

dude1394 · 07-18-2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirkenstien

Yi is an idiot. Playing for the Bucks would be a terriffic opportunity for him to learn and progress without the pressure of coming on strong at the start.

Yi doesn't have a voice in this methinks.