Yi　signs　Bucks　to　start　NBA　career

 　China's　NBA　draft　pick　Yi　Jianlian　(R)　and　Milwaukee　Bucks　owner　Herb　Kohl　meet　the　press　during　a　conference　to　announce　Yi's　signing　with　the　NBA　franchise　in　Hong　Kong　August　29,　2007.　Yi　signed　a　three-year　deal　after　a　two-month　stalemate　with　the　Bucks　as　he　refused　to　embrace　the　team　after　the　Draft　late　in　June.　[Xinhua]　
　China's　NBA　draft　pick　Yi　Jianlian　(L)　meets　the　press　during　a　conference　to　announce　his　signing　with　the　NBA　franchise　in　Hong　Kong　August　29,　2007.　HONG　KONG,　Aug.　30　-　Chinese　basketball　player　Yi　Jianlian　signed　here　Wednesday　a　multi-year　contract　with　Milwaukee　Bucks　to　kick　off　his　career　in　NBA.　
　Yi　became　the　fourth　Chinese　basketball　player　signing　into　an　NBA　team　following　Menk　Bater,　Wang　Zhizhi　and　Yao　Ming.　
　"We　are　very　excited　to　associate　ourselves　with　Alian　(nickname　for　Yi　Jianlian).　He　is　an　extraordinary　person　and　a　great　basketball　player,"　said　Herb　Kohl,　owner　of　the　Bucks,　at　apress　conference　after　the　contract　had　been　signed　behind　door.　
　"Alian　will　be　a　great　credit　for　NBA　and　of　course　for　the　Bucks,"　he　said.　
　At　the　press　conference,　Yi　said　he　was　glad　to　join　the　Bucks　and　would　do　his　best　to　meet　new　challenges　ahead.　"To　play　in　NBA　is　my　goal,"　he　said.　
　Yi　is　expected　to　join　the　team　for　training　camp　that　begins　on　October　1　at　the　Bucks　Training　Center　in　St.　Francis,　WI,　said　Larry　Harris,　general　manager　of　the　Bucks,　pledging　that　the　Bucks　will　do　its　most　to　make　Yi　the　best　basketball　player.　
　Asked　whether　the　contract　contains　any　article　to　compensate　Guangdong　Hongyuan　club　where　Yi　comes　from,　Harris　said　that　the　contract　was　a　standard　NBA　one　which　does　not　mention　the　issue　of　compensation.　
　Yi　has　played　professionally　for　the　Guangdong　Hongyuan　of　the　Chinese　Basketball　Association　(CBA)　since　2002-03,　when　he　was　awarded　Rookie　of　the　Year　honors.　He　has　competed　in　the　last　five　CBA　Finals　and　won　titles　in　2004,　2005　and　2006,　earning　theFinals　Most　Valuable　Player　honors　in　2006.　
　He　played　for　the　Chinese　national　team　at　the　2004　Olympics　in　Athens　and　the　2006　FIBA　World　Championship　in　Japan.