Yi Jianlian
Template:Chinese name Yi Jianlian (Chinese: 易建聯 Cantonese: Yi Ginlyùn Pinyin: Yì Jiànlián) born on October 27, 1984 or 1987, in Shenzhen, Guangdong is a Chinese basketball player. He plays for the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association.
He is left-handed, 7 ft 0 in (2.12 m) tall and weighs 230 pounds (104 kg). He is under contract with Nike to advertise their products within China.
Questions surround his real birthdate. The range is typically from 1984 to 1987. The Chinese National Basketball Team has been accused of intentionally shrouding the true birthdates of its promising young players. The Houston Chronicle reported that Yi told Shane Battier he was 24 in an exhibition game before the 2006 FIBA World Championship[1]. However, Yi later denied the allegations. [2]
The major highlight of his CBA career was in January of 2005, when Yi shot 16 of 16 from the field, scoring 34 points. He also averaged 13.5 points and 8 rebounds a game against the USA in two games, playing against Dwight Howard, Elton Brand, and Chris Bosh.
He played at the 2004 Olympic Games with the Chinese national basketball team, showing great promise and impressing coaches on both the Chinese National Team as well as the coaches from other countries.[citation needed]
Basketball career
From the moment he set foot in the US ABCD camp, Yi has been widely regarded as China's most promising prospect since Yao Ming. What sets him apart from other Chinese big men is his athleticism, which allows him to finish above the rim with relative ease and consistency (and which also helps to enhance his marketability).[citation needed] During the 2004-2005 Chinese Basketball Association season, Yi recorded more dunks than any other Chinese player. He also has a penchant for snatching many rebounds and blocking shots. However, while he has the physical tools to succeed at the NBA level, his offensive game appears relatively unpolished at this point. And since his true age still a subject of much debate, it is difficult to gauge just where he fits into the mix of future NBA prospects.
Yi was not expected to enter the NBA Draft until 2009 because the Chinese Basketball Association generally does not release their players until they turn 22. However, most draft insiders expect him to enter the 2007 draft, and draft boards are following suit by listing him in their mock drafts. Some mock draft boards have Yi projected as high as in the top 5[3], and others have him as low as 17th.[4]
Yi was featured in TIME Magazine's August 24, 2003 article entitled, "The Next Yao Ming."
Before the draft, an article published on NBADraft.net stated that Yi would enter the 2006 NBA Draft[5], with the approval of his team, the Guandong Tigers, and the Chinese Basketball Association. However, he has officially stated that he will not be entering the 2006 NBA Draft on April 26, 2006. By remaining on the Guangdong Tigers and Chinese National Team, he felt that he would have an extra year to develop his skills for the NBA.