# JS: But talks with Yi proceeding slowly



## narek (Jul 29, 2005)

> Las Vegas - Yi Jianlian's big weekend is over, and the 7-foot power forward finally has one day to rest.
> 
> The Chinese national team played three games in as many days as NBA Summer League play opened, and it won the third game Sunday, thanks to Yi's clutch bank shot in the final second against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
> 
> ...





> For Stern, the standoff involving Yi's future in the NBA is of concern. Stern has been aggressive about establishing ties between the league and China, and is cognizant of the feelings of Chinese basketball officials about their stars. At the same time, Stern is protective of franchises in smaller markets that draft high-profile players.
> 
> The Chinese Basketball Association will be heavily involved in the final decision, and it is thought that representatives from the league want Yi to make the move to the NBA this season.
> 
> If the Bucks refuse to trade him, the only way he could re-enter the draft pool in 2008 would be to refrain from playing professionally. That would be a difficult option given China's preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the importance of Yi to the Chinese national team


Bucks continuing open door policy

I don't know whether to be hopeful or not. It's a big mess.


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## shookem (Nov 1, 2005)

It sure is a big mess. Stern needs to lay down the law here otherwise he sets are very dangerous precedent.


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## Mr. Hobbes (Jul 1, 2005)

By staying with him until now, it seems pretty evident that the Bucks aren't gonna trade him. Yi's gonna have to suck it up and go to Milwaukee.


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## Bubbles (Nov 12, 2005)

Chan said:


> By staying with him until now, it seems pretty evident that the Bucks aren't gonna trade him. Yi's gonna have to suck it up and go to Milwaukee.


Yep, Bucks appear to have the upper hand. Either Yi has to play for the Bucks, which enables him to play for the national team, or he doesn't get to play with either team.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Here's an more optimistic report:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2931813



> "Fegan will hamper Yi's future," former national team coach Qian Chenghai was quoted as saying in Tuesday's edition of the state-run China Daily newspaper. "I don't think Yi refused to join the Bucks, it is Fegan who doesn't want him to join.
> 
> "We don't want to see Yi destroy his reputation in the NBA and return to the Chinese Basketball Association. That's horrible," the coach said.
> 
> ...


There is hope after all.... now Yi just needs to play better!


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## taikaviitta (May 28, 2007)

I think that what Steve Francis did, declining to play in Canada and the Grizzlies, was outrageous and now this whole thing with Yi... Why declare for the draft, if you don't want to play in some of the teams at your possible region? Yi and representatives should just accept the fact that he got drafted to the Bucks, that would have a nice squad in a couple of years. Now it's up to Milwaukee wheter or not they want to keep him...

Did they (Yi etc...) actually think, that there is no way they're NOT gonna end up somewhere like Atlanta or Chicago?


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/photo?slug=getty-basketball-us-china-pippen_4_55_21_am&prov=getty

More hope:
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/photo?slug=getty-basketball-us-china-pippen_4_55_21_am&prov=getty



> Six-time NBA champion Scottie Pippen (R) attends a promotional event in Beijing, 11 July 2007. Pippen urged Chinese star Yi Jianlian to reconsider his refusal to play for the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that chose him in last month's draft with Yi, the sixth player chosen in the 2007 draft but his management team has baulked at sending the seven-foot (2.12-metre) power forward to Milwaukee due to the small size of its market and a lack of ethnic Chinese fans there


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## narek (Jul 29, 2005)

Yao Mania said:


> Here's an more optimistic report:
> http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2931813
> 
> 
> ...


That does sound a lot more hopeful. I think Fegen needs to do a little homework. Being in Green Bay hasn't hurt Brett Favre's marketability - if you're star, you're a star, and he'll get a chance to prove that early with Milwaukee.


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## narek (Jul 29, 2005)

News on what Milwaukee businesses are doing to attract Yi:



> Tim Sheehy, president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, said Tuesday that his group's China Business Council had put together a welcome letter to send to Yi.
> 
> In addition, the MMAC is sending a promotional video and brochure touting Milwaukee's links with China.
> 
> ...





> For instance, hundreds of businesses in the Milwaukee area do business with China. In addition, there have been numerous trade missions to China, Milwaukee has a business relationship with Ningbo, China, and the area hosted the Beijing Ducks, a Chinese professional basketball team, two summers ago.
> 
> "This is an economic marketing opportunity for Milwaukee," Sheehy said of the efforts to woo Yi to sign with the Bucks and begin his professional career.
> 
> Steinmiller said the Bucks Web site continued to attract more and more Chinese visitors. Fully 35% of the site's visitors now come from China, he said


Businesses hop on Yi woo wagon


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## Bubbles (Nov 12, 2005)

narek said:


> That does sound a lot more hopeful. I think Fegen needs to do a little homework. Being in Green Bay hasn't hurt Brett Favre's marketability - if you're star, you're a star, and he'll get a chance to prove that early with Milwaukee.


Exactly, Favre was even the cover boy for a video games for a while a couple years ago.


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## Block (Apr 22, 2007)

No one ever talks about why Milwaukee drafted Yi dispite all these potential problems. Everyone pounces on the change to depreciate him.


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## Mr. Hobbes (Jul 1, 2005)

Block said:


> No one ever talks about why Milwaukee drafted Yi dispite all these potential problems. Everyone pounces on the change to depreciate him.


Don't you read the threads on the main forum and the draft forum?


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