Winning it for 'Coach K'

Something must have gotten into Yi Jianlian after his teammates played a nasty trick on him just before

their first win of the season on Sunday. All suited up and ready to take the floor against the Bulls, Yi's veteran teammates told him he should lead them out the door for the Bucks' home opener. The rookie dutifully obliged as he darted out onto the court, ready to absorb the eager cheers of the Milwaukee fans in their first glimpse of the Chinese phenom. But something went wrong - he was the only one out there, as his teammates stood in the hallway behind him, laughing uncontrollably. It was just one more rite of passage for the rookie to endure.

In the two games he has played since that lonely moment, Yi has transformed before our eyes, from a borderline rookie bust to a legitimate NBA force. He proved his value yet again yesterday against the Raptors, going five-of-10 from the floor for 12 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists, including a nifty pass from the high post to Andrew Bogut under the basket that got the fans out of their seats.

But Yi's biggest impact continues to be on the defensive end. Yi was known for his defense coming into the league, though many observers thought his game would not translate well in the faster and more physical NBA. But every day he seems to prove his critics wrong. He hounded the Raptors' Andrea Bargnani all game long, holding last year's No 1 pick to five points and only three shots - Yi hardly even let him touch the ball. Yi was all over the perimeter, shutting down the Raptors' outside game, especially in the decisive third quarter when Toronto only mustered 16 points. It's hardly a coincidence that Yi was on the floor every minute for that quarter.

Yi is making his coach look like a seer, even if Larry Krystkowiak was not around the Bradley Center yesterday to see his rookie shine. The coach was instead at the hospital with his wife, who gave birth to twin daughters right around the time Yi took his seat on the bench to watch the conclusion of the blowout. As a tribute to the role his coach has played in his own birth into the league Yi said after the game, "This win is for Choach K."

(China Daily 11/08/2007 page22)