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."
(China Daily via Houston Chronicle March 20, 2007)