http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/basketball/nba/10/03/bc.bkn.bucks.yi.ap/index.html Milwaukee's top pick mobbed by fans in Chicago MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Yi Jianlian arrived in Chicago on Wednesday and was mobbed by a crowd of about 75 fans seeking autographs and pictures with the Bucks' top draft pick. Yi, due to be in Milwaukee later Wednesday, will practice with the Bucks for the first time on Thursday. Yi, a 6-foot-11 power forward selected sixth overall, arrived on a direct flight from Shanghai just before 4 p.m. at O'Hare International Airport and received a loud ovation by the crowd. About 75 more people watched the spectacle that included one girl jumping into Yi's arms in delight. Yi, 19, spoke briefly, saying he never experienced anything like the reception he received. A contingent of Bucks officials, including player personnel director Mike Babcock and two team vice presidents picked up Yi to drive him 80 miles north to Milwaukee.
Looks like most are Chinese. http://news.wenxuecity.com/messages/200710/news-gb2312-465068.html I am too lazy to translate the text in the above link but here are the photos:
Never experienced anything like the reception? 75 more people or one girl jumping into his arms, which one he was indicating.
LOL http://www.yifansclub.com/contents/ Will Yi Jianlian Be the Tallest Chinese in Milwaukee 易建联 The drafting and signing of 7’0” Yi Jianlian (Yi) by the Milwaukee Bucks has generated a great deal of excitement in Milwaukee. The question is whether Yi will be the tallest Chinese visiting Milwaukee is intriguing. This may surprise you, this honor does not belong to Yao Ming either, who at 7’6” (2.29 m), has been in Milwaukee several times during the last five years as a member of the Houston Rockets. The honor of being the tallest Chinese person ever to visit or live in Milwaukee appears to belong to Chang Wu Gow, who visited Milwaukee for approximately 10 days in March 1885. The visit coincided with a celebration of the Chinese New Year, and included daily performances by Chang before enormous crowds at the Milwaukee Dime Museum. According to advertisements and articles published in the Milwaukee newspapers during his visit, Chang Wu Gow was the tallest known person in the world at that time and was remarkable in other ways, including being fluent in at least six languages (English, German, Hindi, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish). Although his claimed height of 8’4” (2.54 m) was an exaggeration, his actual height of 7’9” (2.36 m) still leaves him with the honor of being the tallest Chinese person ever to visit or live in Milwaukee. David Holmes
And now you know why Milwaukee drafted him. 75 people isn't exactly a melee or anything, but it's better than zero people, right.
The tshirt they are wearing says Yi fan club on the back. I guess they are not that cheap, just a bunch of Yi-Only-Fans, lol.
