Report: Yi Definitely Not Playing For Bucks
July 18, 2007 by Angelo Fernandez
Filed under NBA Basketball
According to Cheng Haitao, the owner of Yi Jianlan’s former team in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), Yi will definitely not sign with and play for the Milwaukee Bucks. Though there was an issue about the lack of Chinese Americans to make a suitable market for Yi, the real issue was about his development.
“The national team and the Olympic Games are now a key factor in considerations,” Chen said. “If Yi goes to a team where he can’t keep up his level of play, that wouldn’t be good for the national team.”
On draft day I was hoping that the Bucks would select Florida forward and NCAA Finals MVP Corey Brewer. He would have filled a need for depth at the small forward spot while providing needed defense. Brewer is also a proven winner having won two national titles. But instead the Bucks selected Yi who is still somewhat of a question mark. I also said he wouldn’t fit in too well because of big guys like Charlie Villanueva, Andrew Bogut, Dan Gadzuric and Brian Skinner are on the roster. To me, this Yi situation is just them paying the price for making a dumb decision on draft day. But the Bucks aren’t the only ones who could pay for their mistake.
“If the Bucks insist, Yi will go back to the CBA,” Chen told the Chinese-language Beijing News on Tuesday.
So Yi may not play for the NBA at all this season and who knows when or if he will again. Blame the Bucks since their dumb decision could leave the CBA and the NBA with a bad relationship.
But on a parting note, I want to talk about another aspect of this situation. The Chinese handling Yi’s situation should realize that things are different in America and in the NBA. They can’t dictate their way and expect them to be followed. That may be the way things are run in China but America is different. They chose to go through the draft process and they must abide by its rules. The Milwaukee Bucks have a legal right to own Yi’s draft rights since he went through the draft and they selected him. They really could insist that he stays there.
Whatever happens, I really feel this Yi situation is disgusting, being a culmination of things done by many stupid people.
