Yi Basks In Welcome

With booming drums and crashing cymbals, and an energetic lion dance thrown in for good measure, Wisconsin's Chinese community jammed a Bradley Center atrium on Sunday afternoon to officially welcome their favorite son and Milwaukee's newest rock star: Yi Jianlian.

It was a welcome ceremony that U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, in an understatement, called a "unique occasion."

"This is as special as it gets," said Kohl, whose trip to the Far East to meet Yi sealed the deal and resulted in the Chinese basketball star signing a rookie contract to play for the Milwaukee Bucks.

It was indeed an unusual welcoming. But Yi came dressed for the part of star basketball player and matinee idol for the adoring crowd of more than 300 people of Chinese descent.

Decked out in blue jeans, a pink dress shirt and a black velour sport jacket that at least several college students from the Chinese Undergraduate Student Association at the University of Wisconsin-Madison called "cool" and "cute," Yi was the center of attention as dozens of still and video cameras recorded his every move. Also on hand was a contingent of Chinese media, including reporters for the Xinhua News Agency and a television crew from Guangdong.

Yi may be a first-round draft choice who has a lot to learn in the National Basketball Association this coming season, but as far as his Chinese fans are concerned, he is Michael Jordan and Kanye West all rolled into one. He was met with screams and loud applause when he made his entrance, and fans listened intently to his answers to questions from the audience.

Justin Lee, 11, who lives in Hartland, came with his mother, Lucia, and his sister Annabelle, 10, to see what the fuss was all about. He said he wanted to see just how big Yi was. Very tall, he concluded. Justin said he hoped to go to several Bucks games this season.

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source : jsonline.com