Yi Jianlian

[VF21]

Oh I voted to take him if he's available, I'm just not convinced he's as great as some are saying. Of course, being on dialup I cannot view the mix stuff without a long delay so perhaps I just haven't seen enough to make an informed decision...

But you know me. I'll toss my two cents in anyway.

 

[andjel]

something that really impressed me about Y is that he had more dunks than Yao ever did in a season. he doesnt seem to shy away from contact he just needs to add size..... in this video here you can see the dunk Pau Gasol made he would have put down on almost anyone in the NBA but in a very Bynum vs Shaq moment Y took it right back and clowned Pau by blowing right by him and dunked it right back. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fVJpeo7PvE

I really like vid because Pau is an NBA all-star and Y took it right back at him.

khm, it was the other way around. Pau took it right back at Y. Check the score.

Anyway, quick move by 7ft guy.

 

[Bricklayer]

khm, it was the other way around. Pau took it right back at Y. Check the score.

Anyway, quick move by 7ft guy.

Actually if you watch that tape, the guy Pau takes is not Yi (not wearing the same number). Minor detail, but I remember it being pointed out by somebody when that little vid first popped up.

 

[supamari0]

Not sure if its been posted but here's a much larger set of Yi Highlights.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WAan4mo1U9Q

My personal take on the guy is that he's athletic as hell. Definitely one of the most athletic 7 footers you can find. The guy has good a damn good jump, ok ball handling skills for a guy his size, and a slowly developing game. It's definitely gotten better over the last few years. His problem is in some ways similar to Yao, he just doesn't dominate enough. Don't let the dunk on Pau or some other highlights fool you. He has all the potential in the world to just be flat dominating people with his quickness and size but sometimes he just doesn't attack enough.

But Yao had that problem and he's by and large corrected much of that. Now, I don't know if Yi can match Yao Ming's work ethic which is the best any of the Rockets people have ever seen but he certainly has plenty of upside. And if the Kings do plan on instituting an offense that runs, then Yi is a perfect fit for that type of scheme.

At #10, he'd be an outright steal and there's no reason not to take him. The Kings need a home run draft pick to solidify the franchise player spot and Yi can do that.

 

[Bricklayer]

Not sure if its been posted but here's a much larger set of Yi Highlights.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WAan4mo1U9Q

My personal take on the guy is that he's athletic as hell. Definitely one of the most athletic 7 footers you can find. The guy has good a damn good jump, ok ball handling skills for a guy his size, and a slowly developing game. It's definitely gotten better over the last few years. His problem is in some ways similar to Yao, he just doesn't dominate enough. Don't let the dunk on Pau or some other highlights fool you. He has all the potential in the world to just be flat dominating people with his quickness and size but sometimes he just doesn't attack enough.

But Yao had that problem and he's by and large corrected much of that. Now, I don't know if Yi can match Yao Ming's work ethic which is the best any of the Rockets people have ever seen but he certainly has plenty of upside. And if the Kings do plan on instituting an offense that runs, then Yi is a perfect fit for that type of scheme.

At #10, he'd be an outright steal and there's no reason not to take him. The Kings need a home run draft pick to solidify the franchise player spot and Yi can do that.

You linked over to the new music remix version of the orignal mix vid from last year. I assume the longer one you were referring to is the full highlights from last season, 9min+? Been posted before around here, but not in a while:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Jqd2mEFAZSI&mode=related&search=


It was a good one and let us see some stuff the original did not -- shotblocking, looks to be active on the offensive board, some very quick feet out on the perimter on defense staying in front of guards. Music/sound is messed up though -- every highlight has its own, and then a hilarious japanese pop song or something at the end as I recall.


Man, just watching some of that again I am reminded why Nellie is apparently after this kid too: FAST, I mean I am struggling a bit to remember the last time I've seen a 7'0" player with that kind of speed. He just blows by people, beats guards to lose balls, should be great at hopping on switches in the pick and roll. Put him in Nellie's system and the Warriors could begin to get seriously dangerous.

 

[AleksandarN]

You linked over to the new music remix version of the orignal mix vid from last year. I assume the longer one you were referring to is the full highlights from last season, 9min+? Been posted before around here, but not in a while:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Jqd2mEFAZSI&mode=related&search=


It was a good one and let us see some stuff the original did not -- shotblocking, looks to be active on the offensive board, some very quick feet out on the perimter on defense staying in front of guards. Music/sound is messed up though -- every highlight has its own, and then a hilarious japanese pop song or something at the end as I recall.


Man, just watching some of that again I am reminded why Nellie is apparently after this kid too: FAST, I mean I am struggling a bit to remember the last time I've seen a 7'0" player with that kind of speed. He just blows by people, beats guards to lose balls, should be great at hopping on switches in the pick and roll. Put him in Nellie's system and the Warriors could begin to get seriously dangerous.

He reminds me of Darko a bit.

 

[Bricklayer]

He reminds me of Darko a bit.

You realize that's not really a compliment at this point right?

 

[AleksandarN]

You realize that's not really a compliment at this point right?

I know thats why I think we might have a shot at him at 10

 

[Bricklayer]

I know thats why I think we might have a shot at him at 10

I never saw the old vids of whatever it was that Darko was supposed to be able to do. And I think maybe that was part of the problem -- he was so young that he was jsut supposed to be able to do them, but was still just a bit player only rarely demonstrating them at the time he was drafted. A project.

Yi however, he sin't SUPPOSED to be abel to do those things, he's been doign them at a high level and dominating his league for eyars now. Think he was MVP one or more times, something like 24 and 11 last year. Its realized, and jsut a question of whether it will translate. Darko was all about potential. Yi's already realized his.

 

[Vlade4GM]

I never saw the old vids of whatever it was that Darko was supposed to be able to do. And I think maybe that was part of the problem -- he was so young that he was jsut supposed to be able to do them, but was still just a bit player only rarely demonstrating them at the time he was drafted. A project.

Yi however, he sin't SUPPOSED to be abel to do those things, he's been doign them at a high level and dominating his league for eyars now. Think he was MVP one or more times, something like 24 and 11 last year. Its realized, and jsut a question of whether it will translate. Darko was all about potential. Yi's already realized his.

Darko played in MUCH tougher leagues and he did play very well at 17-18. He wasn't all potential, he was just young. Yi is most likely 22 so there isn't going to be as long of a leash as there was supposed to be with Darko. If Yi doesn't start showing some polish by his sophomore year at the latest I'd start to get worried. I like Yi and all, I hope he is available to us but I think people are getting a bit too carried away with him.

 

[Bricklayer]

As I understood it Darko did NOT "play" in tougher leagues, in that he was b basically a bencher, no? And more critically -- still learning how to play. Still learning his game. Yi is not at that point in his career. He knows what he is about. There is not that process of growth and discovery that Darko was going to have to go through no matter where he played. Now Yi may or may not be able to do the things he wants to do as easily in the NBA, but there is not going to be that "what am I" confusion that Darko was facing.

 

[Vlade4GM]

As I understood it Darko did NOT "play" in tougher leagues, in that he was b basically a bencher, no? And more critically -- still learning how to play. Still learning his game. Yi is not at that point in his career. He knows what he is about. There is not that process of growth and discovery that Darko was going to have to go through no matter where he played. Now Yi may or may not be able to do the things he wants to do as easily in the NBA, but there is not going to be that "what am I" confusion that Darko was facing.

http://www.ibiblio.org/craig/draft/2003_draft/Players/milicic.shtml

That has his numbers and minutes played.

 

[celticsmvp]

i don't want to sound rude, but you guys are dreaming if u think yi is falling
to 10. Danny Ainge is infatuated with the kid. out of all the GMs, danny
scouted him in china the most. barring a trade where we give up the 5th
pick , yi is ours.

 

[Vlade4GM]

i don't want to sound rude, but you guys are dreaming if u think yi is falling to 10. Danny Ainge is infatuated with the kid. out of all the GMs, danny
scouted him in china the most. barring a trade where we give up the 5th
pick , yi is ours.

Yup, we know.

 

[BMiller52]

Yup, we know.

Eh I'd be very happy with 1 of Julian Wright, Brandan Wright, or Mike Conley anyway.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Eh I'd be very happy with 1 of Julian Wright, Brandan Wright, or Mike Conley anyway.

Well, no one knows for sure where these guys are exactly going to go and if both Noah and Jianlian fall past 5 we have a shot at Jianlian, but I wouldn't hold my breath. If we get Julian Wright as a consolation prize, I'd be thrilled.

 

[k1037]

Personally, I'd love to get Yi just for the "buzz" and excitement value. He has that ever-important potential to keep you interested unlike some of the other, lesser known or lower upside picks out there.

Don't get me wrong, watching guys like Douby and Garcia develop is still fun and all - and occasionally finding guys like Martin in that crowd is great - but drafting a guy like Yi can keep you interested through rebuilding years and it's just amazing if they do happen to reach their potential.

 

[Bricklayer]

i don't want to sound rude, but you guys are dreaming if u think yi is falling
to 10. Danny Ainge is infatuated with the kid. out of all the GMs, danny
scouted him in china the most. barring a trade where we give up the 5th
pick , yi is ours.

I'm not terribly dreaming of that, although some of the mock draft sites seem a little confused that way.

If its at all possible I'm still advocating a move up in the pecking order to #3, #4, #5 to make sure we can nab him (or Horford or B. Wright depending on how it plays out).

Besides, Danny was willing to trade the #5 as part of the package to get KG. And we just so happen to have Kenny Thomas available...so you do the math.

 

[Bad Boy Bo]

I truely doubt Yi will be available at the 10.

But if he's available, I say, take him. How many other 7'0 out there has speed, shooting abilities, and able to handle the ball well for his height. He'll be a beast on the offensive end. Defensively, that's all questionmarks, but I see this as a gamble that is worth taking.

 

[Entity]

whats up Bo haven't heard from you since the dreadful Hawks game.

 

[Kingster]

i don't want to sound rude, but you guys are dreaming if u think yi is falling
to 10. Danny Ainge is infatuated with the kid. out of all the GMs, danny
scouted him in china the most. barring a trade where we give up the 5th
pick , yi is ours.

Ainge is going to have to make a deal. Picking a high-risk draft prospect is not going to ensure his job security in Boston.

 

[VF21]

Ainge is going to have to make a deal. Picking a high-risk draft prospect is not going to ensure his job security in Boston.

I have to disagree. Acquiring Yi might actually be viewed by many of one of the few GOOD decisions Danny Ainge has made as GM of the Celtics.

 

[hrdboild]

Besides, Danny was willing to trade the #5 as part of the package to get KG. And we just so happen to have Kenny Thomas available...so you do the math.

Alright, using a simple numeric scale (A=1 B=2, etc)

K=11 G=7 T=20
KG=11+7=18
KT=11+20=31
31 > 18

If Boston would give up the #5 for KG, they'd give it up in a second for the opportunity to have KT instead! (Hopefully Atlanta doesn't get involved here with Zaza Pachulia)

 

[Kingster]

I have to disagree. Acquiring Yi might actually be viewed by many of one of the few GOOD decisions Danny Ainge has made as GM of the Celtics.

Oh, it might be a very good decision that manifests itself in two to three years time. But I don't think Ainge has 2-3 years, and I don't think Ainge thinks he has two to three years. Also, by all accounts Yi is high risk, high gain. Does Ainge want that risk? I don't think so? It's very interesting reading Celtic boards. There is one unanimous theme - they are very tired of picking young guys in the draft and going nowhere. Ahh, "There is a time for every season" There is a time to pick young guys, and a time to go with vets. Now is the time for Ainge to deal for a vet to win now so he can reclaim whatever reputation he has left. Yi doesn't do it. Maybe I'm wrong, but the Garnett failure of a trade tells me he doesn't like having that pick. He wants vets that can do it now.

 

[TheRaven]

Draftexpress.com put out a new article on Yi that has some good in-depth analysis of his game. The article said they are putting up a video on youtube, but there is no link to it yet, probably still awaiting approval on youtube.

http://draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=2143

A few tidbits:

Jianlian scores the large majority of his points through drop-offs, offensive rebounds, spot-up jump shots, and turn-around jumpers out of the post. His great hands and explosive leaping ability have enabled him to be a very good finisher inside, dunking the ball at every available opportunity. Yi converts basically everything he touches inside of five feet from the rim, even initiating the contact at times and making his way to the foul line.

Despite Yi’s solid frame however, he does not absorb contact very well on the offensive end. It is a common occurrence to see him crumble with the slightest contact, an anomaly for a player weighing nearly 250 lbs. It is very rare that you will see Yi converting a basket on which he has been fouled, as the contact the he receives usually is enough to throw his shot off, and he lacks the toughness to fight through it.

Facing the basket is where Jianlian ultimately seems to be most comfortable, however. He has already proven to be completely adapted to playing in a “pick and pop” type system, honing his jumpshot to the point that he is pretty much automatic from 19 feet and in. Although there seems to be this notion going around that Yi is an outstanding three point shooter, the Chinese big man shot just under 20% from the International three point line this past season, disproving that idea. He looks much more comfortable and is much more accurate when shooting the ball one step in from the three point line, around the 18 foot mark.

It is up in the air as to where Yi will land on draft night, as he could seemingly go as high as number 3 or as low as number 12. It is certainly clear that Yi’s camp wants to control his destination as far as the NBA is concerned, but we find it awfully hard to believe that Sacramento will pass up on Yi once they are on the clock with the 10th pick of the 2007 NBA Draft given their dire need for a young, athletic big man.

 

[Vlade4GM]

It's too bad he hasn't improved on finishing with contact, that's worrisome but it probably won't be our problem.

 

[VF21]

It is a common occurrence to see him crumble with the slightest contact, an anomaly for a player weighing nearly 250 lbs. It is very rare that you will see Yi converting a basket on which he has been fouled, as the contact the he receives usually is enough to throw his shot off, and he lacks the toughness to fight through it.

That sounds a little too much like latter-years Divac to me.