Is Yi Jialian a bust?

Vlade4GM

Vlade4GM

All-Star
#1
#1
Remember how so many of us wanted this kid in 2007? He's pretty much playing exactly like Channing Frye so far. Shooting a bunch of perimeter J's, mediocre rebounding/shot blocking, and not many offensive moves to speak of. Who knows if he's really just 21 too?

Yao Ming aside, is China still a long way off from being a real source of talent for the NBA?
 
SacKings7

SacKings7

Starter
#2
#2
Yeah, I think he is. He's had a few nice games, but so has Frye. He's a frontcourt player playing on a team with a big need for frontcourt help (minus Lopez), and he still isn't playing very good. I like the Frye comparison for him
 
Dime Dropper

Dime Dropper

All-Star
#3
#3
Too early to tell. He's 21 for Gods sake. Everyone knew he would take a few years to adjust and develop.

He may end up being a bust, but I just don't get how you can call someone a bust at 21. Not everyone comes in and tears it up right away ala Lebron.
 
Vlade4GM

Vlade4GM

All-Star
#4
#4
Yeah, I was luke warm on Jianlian around the 07 draft, but I really wanted him to do well and perhaps be evidence of China's progression in producing NBA level talent but at this point it appears Yao may have been an enigma.
 
Vlade4GM

Vlade4GM

All-Star
#5
#5
Dime Dropper said:
Too early to tell. He's 21 for Gods sake. Everyone knew he would take a few years to adjust and develop.

He may end up being a bust, but I just don't get how you can call someone a bust at 21. Not everyone comes in and tears it up right away ala Lebron.
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He'll be 22 next year at the youngest (could be older) and yeah while it's possible he can get better (I formed it as a question for a reason), but it's his second year in the league and hasn't shown much of an aptitude for anything other than being a rangey catch and shoot guy for a big, so I think it's a legitimate question at this point. For someone who is going to be a perimeter big, he doesn't show any kind of budding Garnett/Pau-esque moves/footwork, and he doesn't have the athleticism or ball skills to be like Dirk. Dirk, Pau, KG, Bynum, Jefferson, and even Eddy Curry showed more offensively at that age than Jianlian has.

So while it's definitely possible he finds a niche and becomes a good role player in the NBA, that's far from the borderline all-star/all-star many hoped he would be.
 
A

Arby's Roast Beef

Starter
#7
#7
I hate to say it, but I think he may be one. In fact, if history says anything, given what he's shown so far, I think his rookie year may be the best year he's ever going to have. Because while he put up 10 ppg that year, he also showed that he was soft, couldn't finish around the basket, struggled to rebound the ball and was such a lackadaisical defender. And then he got thoroughly whipped in this year's Olympics leading Yao to chastise him about his perceived softness. And then this year's he's developed more injury problems and hasn't even improved his game much--leading me to wonder whether he has a poor work ethic, whether he's just severely outmatched in several facets of the game in the NBA level, etc--I think it's probably a combination of both. But we've seen these 7'0" perceived soft shooters with mobility before--I mean Tskitishvili, Lampe, Bargnani--all these guys either are out of the league or haven't panned out. Yi's problems are all too similar to these guys, and unfortunately I think his career trend is going to point to a bit utility player--probably a seventh-ninth man at best.

Note that 7-footers who can shoot were once appealing in the late to early 2000s, but now that many have been exposed he can't really live off that stigma anymore. In other words, he's drastically going to have to improve his game beyond shooting (and he's not even what I would call a good shooter yet) to really even become sixth man material. But he's not even on that level yet. How a big man can shoot below 40% amazes me.
 
SacKings7

SacKings7

Starter
#8
#8
Arby's Roast Beef said:
I hate to say it, but I think he may be one. In fact, if history says anything, given what he's shown so far, I think his rookie year may be the best year he's ever going to have. Because while he put up 10 ppg that year, he also showed that he was soft, couldn't finish around the basket, struggled to rebound the ball and was such a lackadaisical defender. And then he got thoroughly whipped in this year's Olympics leading Yao to chastise him about his perceived softness. And then this year's he's developed more injury problems and hasn't even improved his game much--leading me to wonder whether he has a poor work ethic, whether he's just severely outmatched in several facets of the game in the NBA level, etc--I think it's probably a combination of both. But we've seen these 7'0" perceived soft shooters with mobility before--I mean Tskitishvili, Lampe, Bargnani--all these guys either are out of the league or haven't panned out. Yi's problems are all too similar to these guys, and unfortunately I think his career trend is going to point to a bit utility player--probably a seventh-ninth man at best.

Note that 7-footers who can shoot were once appealing in the late to early 2000s, but now that many have been exposed he can't really live off that stigma anymore. In other words, he's drastically going to have to improve his game beyond shooting (and he's not even what I would call a good shooter yet) to really even become sixth man material. But he's not even on that level yet. How a big man can shoot below 40% amazes me.
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I agree with most of your post, but I'm assuming you don't follow the Raptors. Bargnani has really come on this year, and is starting to show some real flashes of why he was a high lottery pick (Roy and Aldridge are still better).

His line today against the Knicks: 23 pts, 7 rebs, 2 asts, 2 stls, 4 blks
 
VF21

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#10
#10
Vlade4GM said:
Remember how so many of us wanted this kid in 2007?
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Yeah, and remember how many of us didn't want anything to do with him? :p

He's pretty much playing exactly like Channing Frye so far. Shooting a bunch of perimeter J's, mediocre rebounding/shot blocking, and not many offensive moves to speak of. Who knows if he's really just 21 too?

Yao Ming aside, is China still a long way off from being a real source of talent for the NBA?
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Yao Ming has been impressive but I certainly don't think he's met the goals he set for himself or the ones the Rockets hoped he'd achieve... I don't want to tiptoe towards a discussion of politics, but I really don't think China has reached a point where it can foster successful NBA careers.
 
A

AriesMar27

Guest
#11
#11
i think if yao can make it to the 2nd round this year he'll be okay.... he cant afford to let the baby blazers beat them in the 1st. but yi is a different story. he cant be labeled a bust this early in his career, its too soon to tell... he probably will be a bust but you never know.
 
Bricklayer

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#13
#13
I was high on Yi for that draft but always knew it would be a risky pick. High end was higher than most of the guys in that draft, but if it did not work out, you are kind of seeing it. Just too soft in the classic ways that international bigs are too soft. Maybe give him one more year until its a sure thing, but at this point it looks like his high end might be a more athletic Krstic or some such, and low end just a finesse backup on somebody's bench until he eventually decides to return overseas.
 
Packt

Packt

Starter
#14
#14
Seeing him play more, I don't think he'll live up to the high end expectations . Whether it's a fare comparison or not, his per numbers aren't that far off of guys like Hawes, though he looks more like a perimeter player, a SF with size.

As a SF there were better picks such as Young or Thorton. Definitely doesn't look worthy of the 6th pick. He looks like a hybrid PF/SF like Radmanovic. So much so that I'm waiting for him to get his hair braided and take a skiing trip.
 
6th

6th

Homer Fan Since 1985
#15
#15
It is too early to say whether Yi will be a bust or not. Having said that, I have not been impressed. I will hold off since he is still so young, but it really doesn't look like he'll be more than a back-up. I'll give him another year or two to build up and toughen up. If he can do that, it would do wonders for his game. Otherwise.........bust!
 
beb0p

beb0p

Starter
#17
#17
You have to be patient with young internationals. The language, the culture, the style of play are all different from what they are accustomed to; it takes time. Peja, Dirk, and Bargnani didn't exactly set the league on fire when they arrived. I'm not ready to write off a 21-yr-old seven footer, especially one with a jump shot and a 38 inch vertical.

I thought Yi was worth a gamble to the Kings at #10, but thought the Bucks was silly to pick him. He didn't want to go to the midwest and Yi is a bad fit with Bogut, so why bother? I had to think the Bucks FO overestimated Yi.
 
Big Cuz 15

Big Cuz 15

All-Star
#18
#18
i was high on him during the draft. i think he needs a vlade type mentor to bring him along. he might need help adjusting to the culture. i was hoping he would be more aggressive around the basket but he hasn't shown that. i'm glad we picked hawes where we did. i guess things happen for a reason ;)
 
RaY Z

RaY Z

Starter
#19
#19
One things for sure, if he does end up being a bust I hope to God he doesnt get voted in the all star game.

The chinese have to no better than to vote for someone that sucks. He nearly got voted in the all star game this year!

Imagine in the future, he gets voted in even though he is averaging like 5.0pts 2.0rbs a game? Would the NBA allow that? (Silly question, of course they would, cause of the $ possibilities)

Is there no rule though, when someone that sucks gets voted in the allstar game? Has it happened in the past before? That would suck if he was aloud to play in the game, knowing fully well he didn't deserve that spot.
 
kingsnation

kingsnation

All-Star
#20
#20
Vlade4GM said:
Remember how so many of us wanted this kid in 2007? He's pretty much playing exactly like Channing Frye so far. Shooting a bunch of perimeter J's, mediocre rebounding/shot blocking, and not many offensive moves to speak of. Who knows if he's really just 21 too?

Yao Ming aside, is China still a long way off from being a real source of talent for the NBA?
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Yes - he is a bust.
 
Vlade4GM

Vlade4GM

All-Star
#21
#21
RaY Z said:
One things for sure, if he does end up being a bust I hope to God he doesnt get voted in the all star game.

The chinese have to no better than to vote for someone that sucks. He nearly got voted in the all star game this year!

Imagine in the future, he gets voted in even though he is averaging like 5.0pts 2.0rbs a game? Would the NBA allow that? (Silly question, of course they would, cause of the $ possibilities)

Is there no rule though, when someone that sucks gets voted in the allstar game? Has it happened in the past before? That would suck if he was aloud to play in the game, knowing fully well he didn't deserve that spot.
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Well he probably wouldn't be on the ballot, and if he has to be written in I don't think as many Chinese would vote as much.
 
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supamari0

supamari0

Bench
#22
#22
RaY Z said:
One things for sure, if he does end up being a bust I hope to God he doesnt get voted in the all star game.

The chinese have to no better than to vote for someone that sucks. He nearly got voted in the all star game this year!

Imagine in the future, he gets voted in even though he is averaging like 5.0pts 2.0rbs a game? Would the NBA allow that? (Silly question, of course they would, cause of the $ possibilities)

Is there no rule though, when someone that sucks gets voted in the allstar game? Has it happened in the past before? That would suck if he was aloud to play in the game, knowing fully well he didn't deserve that spot.
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Seriously this stereotype isn't even true.

When everyone was complaining that Yao Ming was getting voted over Shaq because of the Chinese vote, the vote totals proved otherwise.

Yao was WINNING the votes from fans at actual games (the in game ballot) and losing the online vote in 2002. The same continued since, he consistently won the vote from fans at actual games.

Chinese fans don't have some overwhelming force in all star vote balloting. Americans are by far the #1 vote in all star balloting, it's been that way since it was implemented.
 
RaY Z

RaY Z

Starter
#25
#25
supamari0 said:
Seriously this stereotype isn't even true.

When everyone was complaining that Yao Ming was getting voted over Shaq because of the Chinese vote, the vote totals proved otherwise.

Yao was WINNING the votes from fans at actual games (the in game ballot) and losing the online vote in 2002. The same continued since, he consistently won the vote from fans at actual games.

Chinese fans don't have some overwhelming force in all star vote balloting. Americans are by far the #1 vote in all star balloting, it's been that way since it was implemented.
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Then how else could Yi have gotten the cosiderable amount of votes this year?
I know he had a solid start, but was it enough to actually win non chinese fans over? Im curious to see the votes Yi got this year from the chinese.

And you can't compare Yi with Yao Ming. I mean Yao deserved an all star spot, maybe not starting but on the bench at least. I mean he was a rising star.

With Yi I don't see how he got all those votes when he clearly didn't deserve a spot on the allstar team.
 
P

Peter_Gibbons

Starter
#27
#27
I don't think Yi is a bust. At least you can't say he is yet. He's been injured both seasons for a significant amount of time. When he does get playing time, he's been ok. I think next yr will be an important year for him. But at his height, ability to shoot and overall skills, he can at least be a good contributor or 3 option when he develops. Keep in mind just like Yao Ming, he's been busy with the Team China duties in the off seasons so its hard for them to work on their individual game.
 
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