Nike Basketball News

The Collection: Yi Home Player Edition Hyperdunk 2010

tonyhellberg1 — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 23:11:40 GMT

Shoot and share. Box out and block shots. Get in the passing lanes, get out on the break and play bombs away.

Think: 7-footer.

Think: dunks and jump hooks and plodding half court play.

Yi had folks rethinking big man game association from the moment he fell in love with the game.

With full lateral support that combines superior lightweight performance to cushion even the tallest of trees without sacrificing speed, the Yi Home Player Edition Hyperdunk 2010 will be there for every step he takes on the Capital Beltway.

The Collection: Yi Player Edition Hyperdunk 2010

tonyhellberg1 — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:01:17 GMT

Full lateral support - for sidestepping from the three-point line to the rim.

Superior lightweight performance - for 7-footers who glide up and down the floor.

Points. Rebounds. Blocks. Steals. Three-point accuracy. Yi set career highs across the board last season.

You can call that a breakout campaign, one where this former Chinese National Champion finally found his comfort zone on American hardwood.

And you can call the Yi Player Edition Hyperdunk 2010 the shoe that affords such cushioning support - without sacrificing the speed multi-talented big men need.

WBF Blog: 1 on 1 Anderson Varejao vs Yi Jianlian

tonyhellberg1 — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:30:43 GMT

Yi vs. Varejao

Both foreign. Both teenage professionals. Both internationally acclaimed.

Each uniquely adept at filling their respective roles, beloved by their respective fan bases, adored by their respective countries.

On one side:

Yi Jianlian.

Lithe. Long, but strong.

Skilled. In fact, a rarity: a true 7-footer who can stretch the floor and knock down threes.

Opposite:

Anderson Varejao.

Sturdy. Bulk to bang; athleticism to slide in the paint.

Efficient. A hidden gem: statistics and numbers difficult to measure but impossible to ignore.

Yi garnered Finals MVP honors in the Chinese Basketball Association; Anderson played in the NBA Finals.

Hundreds of millions of his Chinese countrymen have tuned in to watch single telecasts of Yi’s NBA games; Anderson’s hairstyle inspired a run at the Guinness World Record for wigs.

Yi has been called “the most athletic 7-footer in the NBA”; esteemed colleagues, peers and voters have recognized Anderson as one of the most important players on any team in the league.

1-on-1:

From your big man, whose skill set do you value more?

NYC: USA Basketball Planning Inaugural World Basketball Festival

tonyhellberg1 — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:07:58 GMT

This summer, NIKE, Inc. and USA Basketball are planning to bring the world’s best basketball teams and top musical performers to New York City for the inaugural World Basketball Festival, a four-day celebration of the performance and culture of the game, an event that Nike has committed to reprising every two years.

The World Basketball Festival, August 12-15, features basketball’s leading brands within the NIKE Inc. portfolio – Converse, the Jordan Brand, and Nike Basketball.
The World Basketball Festival is a uniquely dynamic event, from the moment it tips off with a showcase featuring members of the 2010 USA Basketball National Team on an open-air court in Times Square, to an unprecedented Times Square performance by a surprise musical act, to the final games of the weekend between four of the best teams in the world at Madison Square Garden.

From Times Square on August 12, the action moves uptown to New York City’s legendary basketball courts at Rucker Park in Harlem, Friday and Saturday, August 13 and 14.

The World Basketball Festival concludes Sunday, August 15 with an exciting exhibition double-header featuring the United States taking on France (1 p.m. EDT) and China meeting Puerto Rico (3:30 p.m. EDT) at famed Madison Square Garden.
The exhibition games are being utilized as part of the teams’ preparation for the 2010 FIBA World Basketball Championship in Turkey, August 28 to September 12.

The Collection 3.0: Hyperize Yi Jianlian

TheLetterJ — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 14:57:21 GMT

While the New Jersey Nets have endured a difficult season, the improved play of Yi Jianlian has been a rare bright spot.

Yi has increased his effectiveness as a scorer, taking fewer 3-point shots, and increasing his overall shooting percentage from last season's 38.2% to this season's 39.6%. As a result, he's averaging a career-high 11.8 points per game, along with 6.9 rebounds per game - another career high.

Blogging the Journey: Yi JianLian

GHarty — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:30:28 GMT

What’s at Stake: Yi writes about the challenges he’ll face this summer, representing China on his home turf and facing his NBA teammates on the court.

The greatest challenge for me is that there were so many “first times.” The first time to meet different opponents, the first time to encounter such an intense game schedule. You cannot imagine how hard it is and how it feels without the first hand experience. You have to experience it.

The most important thing for me is that I had the opportunity for the first time to encounter all these different teams and players. Every player has different characteristics, equally highly competent. Combining one’s personal effort with teamwork to compete.

The best players are all here, no matter if they are from the States or from other countries. I have learned a lot from them. The biggest motivation is because I love basketball. I get training, make improvements and enjoy the games. Make an effort to realize one’s aim. Not matter if it is to play in the NBA or do anything else, it is important to know one’s aim, and then make an effort towards that aim and make changes.

To overcome it is to face it, adapt to it and train oneself. Adapt to it through various games in order to be ready to compete as soon as possible.

This is the greatest challenge.

More on Yi
Read his Bio »

More on Team USA
See all Team USA Blogs »
Check out the Olympic Histories »
Meet the Competition »

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.

More on Team USA
See all Competition Bio’s »
Check out the Olympic Histories »