The Competition: Yi Jianlian

GHarty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:31:53 GMT

For the host nation of China, the return of a healthy Yi Jianlian could mean their first ever medal in Olympic basketball.

To the Chinese, 8 is more than just a number. It represents luck. It brings prosperity. But when the Olympics kick off on 8.8.08, if China wants to win its first ever medal in basketball, they’ll need more than a number. They’ll need a healthy Yi Jianlian to play his best basketball.

Ever since he was young, Yi has made a name for himself on the court. At 16, he towered over his opponents, finding little competition in his hometown. But with his level of skill and quickness, he was soon invited to the United States to play in a summer tournament. He shined against the elite youth in America, gaining some early buzz, and when he returned to China, he moved up to the professional level in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).

In his first season, he dominated the court with lightning quick moves and power in the paint, earning him the Rookie of the Year award. Five seasons straight he led his team to the finals, to championship wins in '04, '05 and '06, also earning the MVP award along the way.

Simply put, he was the best player in China.

Despite being only 17, his coaches knew he was ready for the Chinese Senior National Team. Yi got his first taste of senior international competition at the 2004 Summer Games. The young team made the quarterfinals, but lost by 20 to a strong Lithuanian squad.

In 2006, he played at the FIBA World Championships, averaging 6 points and 6 rebounds a game. But unable to carry his team, China fell early to Greece and took 15th place in the tournament.

But even after those tough losses, the NBA spotted young, raw talent and came knocking. His combination of height (7’0), skill and potential was too good to pass up, and in the 2007 Draft, Milwaukee made him the 6th overall pick.

As a rookie, Yi quickly made his mark. He started in the season’s opening game, and in December scored a career-high 29 points over Charlotte. He was named Rookie of the Month shortly after, and played in the Rookie Challenge during All-Star Weekend.

But in early April, Yi’s rookie season was put to an abrupt halt, ending with a devastating knee injury. There’s no guarantee he’ll be 100% by 8.8.08, but he recently ran in the torch ceremony and performed well in exhibition games, so things are looking good for his countrymen. For China to have a chance to win a medal, they’ll need to have a healthy Yi to go up against power forwards like Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Amare Stoudemire.

The eyes of the world will be on China in August. And when their national team hits the court, the hopes of over a billion Chinese people will be with him. With a little luck and a lot of Yi, China might just be a contender for gold.

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This Is Our Team: Michael Redd

Hotnix — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:30:38 GMT

He’s one of the most prolific scorers in the game, his reputation growing fiercer by the day. Has Team USA finally found its straight shooter?

They call him the Left Handed Assassin for a reason.

Over the last seven years, Michael Redd has become one of the league’s deadliest marksmen. His consistency, confidence and long-distance shooting skills made him an obvious pick for this year’s team. And now, with Kobe by his side, Redd could easily be the USA’s ticket to gold.

This year, the coaches have put some wisdom behind this 12-man roster. Every man on the boards will be a solution to a problem that proved fatal in 2004; and if there’s one thing for certain, it’s that for the last seven years, the US has been missing its sharpshooters.

And Redd’s out to prove himself the missing link. In the match-up with Puerto Rico during the 2007 FIBA Americas, he set the qualifying record for most three-pointers made in one game. He also set the record of most three-pointers made in the whole tournament – an astounding 28 shots – beating Penny Hardaway’s previous record of 22.

And he’s only getting better with time.

In each of Redd’s seven professional seasons, his scoring average has increased dramatically. He averaged 26.7 points per game last season, ranking him sixth among NBA scorers. This number was a jump from his 25.4 ppg in the previous season, and a huge leap from the 2.2 points he averaged in 2000-2001.

And in a league known for its divas in training, it’s rare to find an accomplished player who embraces the role of understudy. Despite being the NBA's sixth-leading scorer last season, Redd has gracefully accepted a supporting role to Kobe Bryant.

"I've been here before," Redd said, "having backed up Ray Allen my first couple of years in the NBA and coming off the bench expected to score immediately. That was my role five or six years ago, and this is back to that."

This year’s roster is brimming with big names, big skills, and a need for redemption. But it’ll be Michael Redd’s shooting – alongside Kobe and a new crop of elite shooters – that’ll pave the way to success this summer in Beijing.

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The Competition: Yi Jianlian

This Is Our Team: Michael Redd