Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Thursday highly praised
Chinese basketball player Yi Jianlian, saying the Bucks' rookie
power forward continues to impress.
According to the Milwaukee daily newspaper, Bucks officials have to
be smiling about the play of rookie Yi, who has adapted quickly to
the NBA game and fit smoothly into the team's starting lineup.
The 7-footer from China has emerged as one of the league's best
rookies in the early stages of the season, and already a few
observers think he is the best.
Yi scored only six points in the Bucks' 102-99 victory over the
Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, but he grabbed 13 rebounds while
playing 34 minutes. His shooting touch was off (3 of 12), but Yi
still found ways to contribute, including grabbing seven offensive
rebounds and contributing three blocks.
The newspaper quoted Bucks center Andrew Bogut as saying "Yi has
done a great job. He's going to have games where he doesn't score
the ball well. Once he learns that getting rebounds, blocking shots
and playing 'D', you can still stay on the court."
Yi used his length to contest a right-handed hook shot by Pau
Gasol down the stretch, forcing a key miss as the Bucks held on to
a narrow lead.
"He looks very calm and confident; he knows his game and he
doesn't hesitate very much at all. He goes a little bit like
(countryman) Yao Ming; one step at a time. You never see him
expecting so much from himself," the newspaper said by quoting from
Memphis coach Marc Iavaroni.
"I'm not really good on comparisons," Iavaroni said of Yi and
Grizzlies' center Pau Gasol.
"I see a poise in both of them. That's something you see from
players who are going to be very, very good in this league. They
start off with a poise, and now they build on that. They get
respect from officials, they make successful plays and their
confidence grows quickly."
(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2007)
