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From Fiba.com:
Yi has chance to show he is big-time player
VALENCIA (FIBA World Championship) - Walking onto the same court with Team USA, Slovenia and other sides at the FIBA World Championship will be important moments for Chinese center Yi Jianlian.
A 2.12m tower of power who plays for Guandong in China’s CBA, Yi is only 18 years old.
Three years ago at the FIBA U19 World Championship in Greece, he led his team with 18.9 points and 11.5 rebounds per contest. Since that tournament, he has yet to become the force many expected.
Japan will be a stage for him to show how far he has come in the game, but also indicate how far he has to go before he is a big-time player like his famous compatriot, 2.26m Yao Ming.
Yi has unlimited potential, and China need him to become a force so they do not have to lean on Yao so heavily in international games.
National team coach Jonas Kazlauskas, a Lithuanian who was given the head job after the 2004 Olympics, is doing his very best to help Yi elevate his game.
"I think although the coach is very strict with us, it´s for our own benefit," Yi said to PA Sport.
"He has very high expectations for us and he demands the best in order to get to the best form for the tournament in Japan but also to improve for the Olympics.
"Our aim in the FIBA World Championship is to finish in the top 10."
That is a modest aim, then, in the short-term although pressure is building on China with the 2008 Beijing Olympics quickly approaching. Fans want improvement, and so do the country’s sports bosses.
"We have been having a big support from our fans for a very good
time," Yi said.
"Basketball is a very traditional sport in China and we have a lot of supporters."
Getting ready for Japan
Kazlauskas, who did very well at Olympiacos the past two seasons in Greece, has been putting the players through their paces in friendly tournaments in Strasbourg and Valencia.
In the Torneo Comunitat Valenciana in Spain, two-time champions Serbia & Montenegro, a team that is in rebuilding mode, beat them 77-66 on Sunday.
Yi did have 10 points and 13 rebounds, but he was not too concerned with statistics.
"These tournaments in Europe are good for our team," he said.
"We are improving game by game and gaining confidence. The atmosphere is good and I think when we arrive to the World Championship we will be ready to compete at the highest level."
There were times in the Serbia & Montenegro game, however, when the Chinese players lost their concentration or played sloppy.
"We make unnecessary fouls and from that respect we must improve," Yi said.
"We have to be able to keep up the focus throughout the whole game because while at this time we can fight for three quarters, if we let our guard down, any team can kill us off."
China lost their second game in Spain against Angola.
The absence of Asia’s most famous player, Yao, hasn’t helped.
Yao has been recovering from a broken foot suffered at the end of the NBA campaign with the Houston Rockets. Yao has said he will be close to full fitness by the start of the FIBA World Championship on August 19.
"Yao is a crucial player who gives us a lot of strength on offense and
defense," Yi said.
"We are confident that we will have him with us in the World Championship.
"Yao is a great leader, especially when the team is sometimes during the game struggling he shows his leadership and helps us overcome adversity."
Knowing the opponents
Group D does not appear to be the most difficult of the four in Japan, but Team USA, Slovenia and Puerto Rico should provide stiff opposition. Senegal and Italy are also in the group.
"We don´t worry about our opponents," Yi said. "We just prepare as much as we can. It makes no difference who we face, even if it´s Team USA. We prepare to show the best we can do."
The United States are next up for China, in fact. They play a warm-up game before the FIBA World Championship tips off in China.
"I´m really excited to play against Team USA," Yi said.
"They have great players and they are a very good side. It will be good practice for when we meet them in our group in the tournament in Japan."
China have done some things well, like shooting free throws.
Their defense must get better, though.
"In the tournament in Valencia we did improve a lot but there are still
problems to resolve," Yi said.
"I do believe we have a lot of potential.
"We need to improve on rebounds but also on team defense and rotation of the team, that is what we are working on."
When Yi does swat his first shot, or make his first mid-range jump shot, spectators will be wondering if they are looking at the next big-time player from China, one who might follow in the footsteps of Yao.
"To play in the NBA," Yi said, "that is the dream of any player.
"I hope one day, I can do that too."
VALENCIA (FIBA World Championship) - Walking onto the same court with Team USA, Slovenia and other sides at the FIBA World Championship will be important moments for Chinese center Yi Jianlian.
A 2.12m tower of power who plays for Guandong in China’s CBA, Yi is only 18 years old.
Three years ago at the FIBA U19 World Championship in Greece, he led his team with 18.9 points and 11.5 rebounds per contest. Since that tournament, he has yet to become the force many expected.
Japan will be a stage for him to show how far he has come in the game, but also indicate how far he has to go before he is a big-time player like his famous compatriot, 2.26m Yao Ming.
Yi has unlimited potential, and China need him to become a force so they do not have to lean on Yao so heavily in international games.
National team coach Jonas Kazlauskas, a Lithuanian who was given the head job after the 2004 Olympics, is doing his very best to help Yi elevate his game.
"I think although the coach is very strict with us, it´s for our own benefit," Yi said to PA Sport.
"He has very high expectations for us and he demands the best in order to get to the best form for the tournament in Japan but also to improve for the Olympics.
"Our aim in the FIBA World Championship is to finish in the top 10."
That is a modest aim, then, in the short-term although pressure is building on China with the 2008 Beijing Olympics quickly approaching. Fans want improvement, and so do the country’s sports bosses.
"We have been having a big support from our fans for a very good
time," Yi said.
"Basketball is a very traditional sport in China and we have a lot of supporters."
Getting ready for Japan
Kazlauskas, who did very well at Olympiacos the past two seasons in Greece, has been putting the players through their paces in friendly tournaments in Strasbourg and Valencia.
In the Torneo Comunitat Valenciana in Spain, two-time champions Serbia & Montenegro, a team that is in rebuilding mode, beat them 77-66 on Sunday.
Yi did have 10 points and 13 rebounds, but he was not too concerned with statistics.
"These tournaments in Europe are good for our team," he said.
"We are improving game by game and gaining confidence. The atmosphere is good and I think when we arrive to the World Championship we will be ready to compete at the highest level."
There were times in the Serbia & Montenegro game, however, when the Chinese players lost their concentration or played sloppy.
"We make unnecessary fouls and from that respect we must improve," Yi said.
"We have to be able to keep up the focus throughout the whole game because while at this time we can fight for three quarters, if we let our guard down, any team can kill us off."
China lost their second game in Spain against Angola.
The absence of Asia’s most famous player, Yao, hasn’t helped.
Yao has been recovering from a broken foot suffered at the end of the NBA campaign with the Houston Rockets. Yao has said he will be close to full fitness by the start of the FIBA World Championship on August 19.
"Yao is a crucial player who gives us a lot of strength on offense and
defense," Yi said.
"We are confident that we will have him with us in the World Championship.
"Yao is a great leader, especially when the team is sometimes during the game struggling he shows his leadership and helps us overcome adversity."
Knowing the opponents
Group D does not appear to be the most difficult of the four in Japan, but Team USA, Slovenia and Puerto Rico should provide stiff opposition. Senegal and Italy are also in the group.
"We don´t worry about our opponents," Yi said. "We just prepare as much as we can. It makes no difference who we face, even if it´s Team USA. We prepare to show the best we can do."
The United States are next up for China, in fact. They play a warm-up game before the FIBA World Championship tips off in China.
"I´m really excited to play against Team USA," Yi said.
"They have great players and they are a very good side. It will be good practice for when we meet them in our group in the tournament in Japan."
China have done some things well, like shooting free throws.
Their defense must get better, though.
"In the tournament in Valencia we did improve a lot but there are still
problems to resolve," Yi said.
"I do believe we have a lot of potential.
"We need to improve on rebounds but also on team defense and rotation of the team, that is what we are working on."
When Yi does swat his first shot, or make his first mid-range jump shot, spectators will be wondering if they are looking at the next big-time player from China, one who might follow in the footsteps of Yao.
"To play in the NBA," Yi said, "that is the dream of any player.
"I hope one day, I can do that too."
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