The Milwaukee Bucks are confident that their first round draft
pick, China's Yi Jianlian, will be ready for training camp which
starts in 12 weeks.
"I felt there was a lot accomplished," Bucks general manager
Larry Harris told ESPN.com after meeting with Yi.
"He got to know us a little bit, and we got a chance to explain
why we drafted him, explain the role we envision for him and talk
about the opportunity in Milwaukee."
Yi, the 7ft forward who the Bucks took with the sixth overall
pick last month, reportedly does not want to play in a city with
such a small Chinese population.
"He was very pleasant, very engaging," Harris said. "I think
he's excited about playing in the NBA. But I made it very clear (to
Yi) - not in a negative way - that we're not going to trade
you."
Yi's camp has threatened not to show up in Milwaukee, insisting
the Bucks must trade him or watch him sit out a year and re-enter
the 2008 draft.
Yi has been playing in the NBA summer league this week, but with
China and not the Bucks.
Now he is heading home to prepare for further international
commitments, but before he left he did speak to officials from the
Bucks.
Prior to the June 28 draft, Yi had tried out for several teams
but refused the Bucks' invitation, a clear sign that he did not
want to play in Wisconsin. That was not enough to deter the
team.
"When we drafted him, we knew it wasn't going to be the typical
situation," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak told ESPN.com. "But I
just think, when it's all said and done, he's going to be in a
Bucks uniform. And hopefully this will have been a great learning
experience for all of us."
Yi has not addressed his situation directly, with the NBA
imposing a ban on interviews with the 19-year-old.
A reporter from NBA.com was permitted a question-and-answer
session with the forward after agreeing not to ask about
Milwaukee.
(China Daily via AFP July 13, 2007)