Yi Jianlian: So hot right now in China

November 6th, 2007 | Posted by PostmanR

The story of Yi Jianlian is one that has yet to tire in my mind. The guy showed up at the Pirates of the Caribbean 3 premiere before he was even drafted; clearly, he knows the way to fame and success in the States starts and ends at Disney rides turned blockbuster movies staring Johnny Depp red carpet events. Then Milwaukee drafted him, he and his handlers weren’t sure if that was a great fit because there weren’t enough Chinese groupies to go around in the FINE CITY OF MILWAUKEE YOU POMPOUS EAST COAST REPORTER.

So, I’d say it’s a fair assumption that he’s not quite the darling in Bucks fans’ eyes. (Even though he dropped 16 on the Bulls the other night.) But let’s not forget: he’s still a hit in his native land. His first game televised in China — the aforementioned Bulls game — notched 100 million viewers.

And when Yao and Yi match up on Friday? Oh baby.

It [Yao vs. Yi] will be big back at home,” Yi said last week before the Bucks played the Magic in Orlando. “It will be fun. People will be watching.”

According to an NBA spokesperson, three national television stations will be in Houston to broadcast the game, along with an estimated 10-15 foreign print journalists, who already are in the country advancing the game. The NBA is hosting its own viewing party Friday night (which will be Saturday morning in China) in Beijing.

None of this should come as a surprise, considering how basketball interest has grown in the world’s most populous country. NBA weekly telecasts last season in China averaged 34 million viewers, spanning 51 TV partners through the country. Commissioner David Stern had made it a priority to grow basketball there.

This should have been Milwaukee’s strategy all along: if you can’t win over the hearts and minds of the American basketball public, move on to China. I salute you and yours, Yi Jianlian.

{Via the Bratwurst.}

Also: If anyone out there wants to watch, we were mentioned on the latest edition of Bleacher Bloggers for the Becks-Snoop post from last week.