World's eyes on New York ahead of annual extravaganza
NEW YORK: Chinese eyes will be on Yi Jianlian at tonight's 2007 NBA Draft in New York, but Yi is not the sole international prospect looking to land in the world's elite basketball league.
Greg Oden, who led Ohio State to the US college finals as a freshman, is expected to be selected first overall by Portland with playmaker Kevin Durant from Texas the likely second selection by Seattle.
Atlanta chooses next followed in order by Memphis, Boston, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Charlotte, Chicago and Sacramento.
Joakim Noah, the son of French tennis legend Yannick Noah, is joined by his two-time US champion Florida teammates Al Horford and Corey Brewer and Ohio State's Mike Conley among other US prospects.
But with Germany's Dirk Nowitzki winning NBA Most Valuable Player honors and France's Tony Parker taking NBA Finals MVP honors - both firsts by a European - and San Antonio's champions having a record six non-US players, global talent ranks high.
"For years, a lot of the NBA execs might have thought the American player was better. But that's not the case anymore," Nets general manager Ed Stefanski said. "Some foreign-born players are excellent. They're here to stay."
Italy's Andrea Bargnani was the top pick in last year's draft and Australian Andrew Bogut went number one in 2005.
"If the international ranks didn't exist it would be impossible to duplicate the quality of play we have today," Memphis Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said.
Global media will reach record levels at this year's draft, which will be seen in 115 nations and heard in 18 languages.
"This is the first time the NBA Draft is being broadcast live in the Guangdong area," said Lu Xiaofeng of Guangdong TV Sports. "Our country is proud of the potential draftees from China and hope they get selected early."
Aside from Yi and Noah, other global hopefuls include Brazilian forward Tiago Splitter, Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez and Italy's Marco Belinelli.
AFP
(China Daily 06/28/2007 page18)
