The Chinese are imploring Yi Jianlian

July 10th, 2007 | Posted by PostmanR

The next episode in the World According to Yi Jianlian has dropped. In it, we find the Chinese want their man to go ahead and sign with Milwaukee already. Dude’s ruining his rep.

“(Dan)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.

Results of an online poll published in China Daily showed 68 percent of 9,000 respondents want Yi to play for the Bucks.

“Yi, stand up and speak for yourself,” China Daily said, citing an article in the Beijing Evening Post. “Don’t hesitate anymore and don’t let anybody control your life.”

OK, so basically we’re led to believe Yi’s agent is the one pulling strings here. Which, you know, makes me feel a whole lot better about this Easy Yi cat. I’m sure he loves Milwaukee. After all, I would assume he realizes it is not all about cheese and beer up there, no matter what any pompous East Coast reporter has told him.

{Note: In case you were wondering, I only wrote up this post so I could link back to the Kevin Hunt video. Man, I love that thing.}