MSNBC.com Yi’s agents seek trade from Bucks Reps think bigger market with larger Chinese population better for forward SportsTicker Updated: 11:25 a.m. CT July 1, 2007 NEW YORK - Yi Jianlian’s representatives are still working to prevent him starting his NBA career in Milwaukee after the Bucks drafted him sixth overall in New York on Thursday. Yi did not travel to Milwaukee for the customary post-draft introduction, saying he needed to head to Dallas to join the Chinese national team, but behind the scenes his agents are seeking a trade away from the Bucks. Yi is due to play for China when they compete in the NBA’s summer league, starting with Friday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. Asked about his plans, Yi said that game was his only immediate priority. “Within the next few days I will join the Chinese national team in Dallas and train with them to prepare for the upcoming NBA Summer League,” he told Chinese reporters. “Based on the timing, I have no chance to go to Milwaukee.” If his agents have their way, Yi will not travel to Milwaukee at all. Before the draft, Yi’s camp had prevented him from working out for the Bucks as they did not want him to be drafted by a small market team, especially one from a city without a significant Chinese population. Yi had attracted interest from several teams prior to Thursday’s draft, and his agents now hope to engineer a trade for the 22-year-old forward. “Our agent team had meetings to study this case immediately after the draft,” said Yi’s Chinese agent Zhao Gang. “Yi’s selection at six has proved his capabilities and value. “However, we feel that the Bucks are not the best fit for Yi Jianlian. Our team will make contact with other teams who have watched Yi’s training and games to see if there is any possibility of a trade.” Some reports had suggested that Yi would refuse to travel to Wisconsin and, if no deal was done, would instead return to the Chinese Basketball Association rather than beginning his NBA career. However, his club in China, the Guangdong Tigers, has denied this will happen. “Though the final result of the negotiations and communications are uncertain, I can guarantee that whatever the outcome is, it could not be so bad that Yi will be back to play in the CBA,” said Liu HongJiang, deputy general manager of the Guangdong Hongyuan Basketball Club. © 2007 PA SportsTicker URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19534023/
Will be a none issue, he'll be playing for the Bucks. Though it might even be worse for him than a Francis situation happened but because he's foreign. More Americans can can sympathize with "yeah, I wouldn't want to be in Canada either" than a Chinese person not want to be in Milwaukee.
the francis situation was different. The bucks never evan saw Yi. They just wanted to make money off of the China market. I don't feel sorry for them.
Did France object when Tony Parker was chosen by the Spurs? San Antonio a small market town with no chinese people or french people. what makes China > France?
you should add another option like "The Bucks are to blame for drafting him when they knew this was going to happen"
there are no french people anywhere in the US. There are a lot of answers to that...literally speaking France= 60 million people China= 1.3 billion people China > France Basketball is much bigger in china as well. They keep saying 300,000 people in china play basketball but I don't know where they get that from. The economy in China is also 9238492489234 times that of Fance's. So there are a lot of answers to your question. Take your pick.
It's different in that Parker was the 28th pick of the draft and relatively unknown, Yi however is a highly touted player who may have been the most intriguing prospect in this draft. A lot of eyes were on this guy. Another thing to point out is that has the Chinese government come out and say they won't let him play for the Bucks? IMO...this is Feigan and Nike doing what they need to do to make cash. There is a lot of money to be made from Yi playing for a high market team. And recent history has shown that players get what they want when they demand to be traded (Francis, TMac, AI, etc...).
Tha'ts not true, I'm here ! Anyway, things were a lot different for Parker (who was not relatively unknown in Europe, everybody knew he was going to be good. Ok, not as good as he is today but he was predicted to have a good carrer in the NBA) . He had the opportunity to play in one of the best teams in the NBA, with one of the best coaching staff. Why would anybody in France complain about that ?
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8KeYo8rpnVo"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8KeYo8rpnVo" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
If I'm Yi, and I've lied about my age and am a few years older than I say I am, I want to get playing in the NBA immediately.
David Stern must not let evil governments control us. NBA > the world David Carleone Stern, Make them swim with fishes!!! for Yi, get use to this:
Correction: Recent history has shown that STARS get what they want when they demand to be traded (Francis, TMac, AI, etc...)
as much as i love Yi and China, he should suck it up and play. If hes as good as they say, he'll play for 2 years, get acclimated to the NBA and become a star; then he can go wherever the hell he pleases and get millions doing so. Forget money and politics, lets just play ball
We see this happen in many sports. In football, you had Eli Manning and John Elway demand trades. In baseball, many players go to college rather than sign for a team they don't like out of high school. Then you have Steve Francis in the NBA. Yi's agents are just doing what they feel is best for their client in this case...with his permission. I'm not bothered by it. Also, Milwaukee had to have seen this coming - Yi made it quite clear he didn't want to play for Milwaukee early in the pre-draft process. At that point, caveat emptor applies.
Don't blame him or his team for trying to force a trade. I would bet the first day he shows up in Milwaukee he doesn't get the reception GO got in Portland. They'll probably run out a Cambodian and Vietnamese and try to pass them off as his Chinese reception team of two. If the guy isn't happy how is he going to play well.
There really needs to be some kind of penalty for players outright refusing to sign with the team that drafts them. I don't feel too sorry for Milwaukee cuz of all teams they KNEW EXACTLY what they were getting into. Still, teams spend months if not YEARS scouting and assembling talent, and trying to find the best fit for their clubs. Just so when its draft time, some young goober can say.... "Um, Naaaah no thanks". And their whole year is ruined. It is somewhat acceptable also for players to look after their own personal interests as well. Its happened before and it of course has ended up working out good for some of them, in all sports. But IF they choose to go that route, there has to be some consequence for it.
Milwaukee is the last bastion of Americaness, that place is almost Chinese free. People have cheese for breakfast and wash it down with a jar of Milwaukee's Best. If you want an eggroll, you'd have to drive 100+ miles to Chicago. You don't want Yi to ruin that, do ya?
