Yi Jianlian Keeps China’s Link to NBA Rosters – Wall Street Journal

Chinese basketball star Yi Jianlian is looking to continue China’s decade-long legacy of keeping players in the National Basketball Association. The 6-foot-10 forward is set to sign a one-year contract with the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, according to reports from media company Sina Corp (in Chinese) and ESPN. The deal will likely be done within the next two days, after all health checks are passed, Sina cited Mr. Yi as saying in a phone interview.

The defending champion Dallas Mavericks got a good look at the Chinese player last year, when he stepped off the Washington Wizards’ bench and scored 14 points against the Mavericks. It was a season high for Mr. Yi, who averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds with the Wizards last season. When finalized, the deal will restore China’s presence in the U.S. sports world. Mr. Yi has been China’s main connection to the U.S.-based basketball since its most well-known player, Yao Ming, retired this past year.

Tennis star Li Na, who made history in Paris last June as she became the first Chinese and first Asian to win a Grand Slam singles title, has become one of China’s main hopes in propelling the country into the global athletic scene, but her career has been up and down the past year. Mr. Yi offers China another shot at global fame.

The 24year-old Maverick-to-be has four seasons of experience in the NBA, playing for Milwaukee, New Jersey and Washington. But he has been a free agent since suffering a knee injury playing for the Chinese Basketball Association’s Guangdong Southern Tigers in November.

Injuries cost Mr. Yi a contract with the Wizards, who declined to re-sign him after he sat out 19 games last season. Few teams have been willing to pay the $5 million to $6 million price tag Mr. Yi wanted, the Sina report said. No financial details of the Mavericks deal were mentioned in the Sina report. The ESPN report said Mr. Yi will rehabilitate, playing for the Mavericks’ D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends. The Mavericks were the first team in NBA history to sign a Chinese player, bringing on Wang Zhizhi in 2002.

Yi Jianlian 2010-2011 video highlights (made by asianathletes.wordpress.com)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVbZoJRyfRo]