With several NBA scouts sending representatives to
China to scout Yi Jianlian in the China Basketball Association finals, Rockets
center Yao Ming offered his own, typically generous, scouting report.
"He is very close to a player who is in the NBA like I would say Amare
Stoudemire," Yao said. "Yi is taller. He is almost seven-foot. He has a very
nice touch, very athletic. He has everything (to be) a great player.
"From my experience, it is very important he plays in the summer league. The
games played in the summer league I think will be good for him and for his team,
whatever team drafts him. I was not in the summer league the year the Rockets
drafted me so I had a very tough start in the beginning. For a player from
China, I think you need time to adjust."
Yao never played against Yi, but they have been national team teammates for
the past three years.
"When I left China, he just started to play," Yao said. We never matched up.
I think he is a very good four. He can play a little bit of a five, sometimes.
Good shot blocker. He just needs the right training, people who can tell him how
to play on the NBA level."
