Yi Jianlian facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Yi Jianlian
易建联

Yi with the Washington Wizards in 2011
Personal information
Born	(1984-10-27) October 27, 1984 (age 40) Heshan, Jiangmen, Guangdong, China
Listed height	7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight	258 lb (117 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft	2007 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Pro career	2002–2023
Career history
2002–2007	Guangdong Southern Tigers
2007–2008	Milwaukee Bucks
2008–2010	New Jersey Nets
2010–2011	Washington Wizards
2011	Guangdong Southern Tigers
2012	Dallas Mavericks
2012	→Texas Legends
2012–2023	Guangdong Southern Tigers
Career highlights and awards
3× FIBA Asia Cup champion (2005, 2011, 2015) 2× FIBA Asia Cup MVP (2011, 2015) 6× CBA champion (2004–2006, 2013, 2019, 2020) 3× CBA Finals MVP (2006, 2013, 2019) 5× CBA Domestic MVP (2013–2016, 2020) 12× CBA All-Star (2004–2007, 2013–2020) 2× CBA Best Defender (2007, 2019) 2× CBA Slam Dunk leader (2015, 2016)
Career NBA statistics
Points	2,148 (7.9 ppg)
Rebounds	1,339 (4.9 rpg)
Assists	192 (0.7 apg)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  China FIBA Asia Cup Gold 2005 Doha Gold 2011 Wuhan Gold 2015 Changsha Silver 2009 Tianjin Asian Games Gold 2006 Doha East Asian Games Bronze 2005 Macau FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship Gold 2002 Kuwait FIBA Asia Under-20 Championship Silver 2004 Tehran

Yi Jianlian (Chinese: 易建联; pinyin: Yì Jiànlián [î tɕi̯ɛ̂nli̯ɛ̌n]; born October 27, 1984) is a Chinese former professional basketball player. He played for the Guangdong Southern Tigers in China. He also played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for several teams. These teams included the Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets, Washington Wizards, and Dallas Mavericks.

Yi joined the Guangdong Southern Tigers in 2002. He quickly became the CBA Rookie of the Year. His team won three CBA titles in his first five years. In 2007, the Milwaukee Bucks picked him sixth in the 2007 NBA draft. Yi later played for three more NBA teams. He then returned to the Guangdong Southern Tigers in 2012. Yi also played for the Chinese national team in four Olympics. He played in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016.

Yi Jianlian's Early Life

When Yi was a child, his parents did not want him to join a special sports school. These schools are for kids who might become professional athletes. But a basketball coach saw him playing on the street. The coach convinced his family to let him train professionally. In 2002, Adidas invited Yi to a special camp in New Jersey. There, he played against top high school players from America.

Professional Basketball Career

Playing for Guangdong Southern Tigers (2002–2007)

After returning to China in 2002, Yi signed with the Guangdong Southern Tigers. This team is part of the Chinese Basketball Association. In his first season, he scored about 3.5 points and grabbed 1.9 rebounds per game. He also won the Rookie of the Year award. Yi was even featured in Time magazine in 2003. They called him "The Next Yao Ming".

In his next three seasons, Yi helped Guangdong win the CBA championship. He was named the CBA Finals Most Valuable Player in 2006. In his last season before the NBA draft, he averaged 24.9 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.

Joining the Milwaukee Bucks (2007–2008)

Yi was not expected to join the NBA draft until 2009. This was because of a rule in the Chinese Basketball Association. But in 2006, Yi announced he would enter the 2006 NBA draft. He later decided to wait, saying he needed more experience. Then, in 2007, the Guangdong Southern Tigers announced he would enter the 2007 NBA draft.

On June 28, 2007, the Milwaukee Bucks chose Yi with the sixth pick in the draft. This was a big moment for him. Yi and Sun Yue were the first two Chinese-born players picked in the same NBA draft.

The Bucks worked to get Yi to sign with them. On August 29, 2007, Yi and the Milwaukee Bucks agreed to a contract.

Yi attempting a free throw against the Portland Trail Blazers

Yi started for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2007–08 season. In his first game, he scored nine points and had three rebounds. Three days later, he scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in a home win. This game was shown on TV in China. About 100 million people watched it. Yao Ming praised Yi's early games.

On November 9, 2007, Yi played against Yao Ming for the first time. Yi scored 19 points and had nine rebounds. Yao scored 28 points and had nine rebounds. Over 200 million people in China watched this game. It was one of the most-watched NBA games ever.

Yi was named the NBA Rookie of the Month for December 2007. He averaged 12.1 points and 6.6 rebounds that month. He scored a career-high 29 points in a game on December 22. He was also chosen for the rookie team in the Rookie Challenge at the 2008 NBA All-Star Game. Yi played 66 games in his first season. He averaged 8.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Moving to the New Jersey Nets (2008–2010)

Yi (background) in 2010 with the Nets and then teammate Vince Carter

On June 26, 2008, Yi was traded to the New Jersey Nets. He played well in his first 37 games with the Nets. He averaged 10.5 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. But on January 9, 2009, Yi broke a finger on his right hand. This injury made him miss several weeks of games.

Yi returned to play after the 2009 NBA All-Star Game. His final averages for the season were 8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. In the 2009–10 season, Yi returned to the starting lineup for New Jersey. He had several injuries that season. He missed 30 games because of them. His final averages for that season were 12 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Playing for the Washington Wizards (2010–2011)

Yi with the Wizards in 2011

On June 29, 2010, Yi was traded to the Washington Wizards. He finished the 2010–11 season averaging 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. The Wizards decided not to keep him after that season.

Returning to the Tigers (2011)

During the 2011 NBA lockout, Yi signed a one-year contract. He returned to play for the Guangdong Southern Tigers. He had an option to go back to the NBA once the lockout ended.

Short Time with the Dallas Mavericks (2012)

On January 6, 2012, Yi signed with the Dallas Mavericks. He was first sent to their D-League team, the Texas Legends. After playing two games there, he was called back to the Mavericks. He played in his first NBA playoffs game in 2012.

Third Time with Guangdong (2012–2023)

Yi re-joined the Guangdong Southern Tigers for the 2012–13 CBA season. He helped them win another championship that season.

In August 2016, Yi signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. He returned to the NBA after some years. But he felt he would have better chances elsewhere. So, he asked to be released from the Lakers before the regular season started. The Lakers let him go on October 24, 2016.

Yi returned to Guangdong in October 2016. On August 15, 2020, Yi helped the Guangdong Southern Tigers win their 10th CBA championship. However, he suffered a serious injury during that game. He tore his Achilles tendon. This meant he missed a big part of the next season.

The 2022–23 CBA season was Yi's last. He decided to retire on August 30, 2023. He shared his decision, saying basketball had been with him for 21 years. He said he would cherish the memories and move forward to new parts of his life.

National Team Career

Yi with team China

Yi first played internationally at the 2003 FIBA Under-19 World Championship. He averaged 18.9 points and 11.5 rebounds per game there. He joined the Chinese national basketball team for the 2004 Summer Olympics. He also played in the 2006 FIBA World Championship. His playing impressed coaches from many countries.

In 2008, Yi played for China at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He helped China reach the quarter-finals. Yi was also part of the Chinese national team in the 2009 FIBA Asia Championship and the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship. He was named the most valuable player of the 2011 FIBA Asia Championship. He averaged 16.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

Yi also played for China in the 2012 Summer Olympics. He led all players in rebounds per game. He also played at the 2016 Summer Olympics. In the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Yi was still a leader for China. He averaged 17.8 points and 7.8 rebounds.

Personal Life

Yi can speak both Mandarin and Cantonese. In 2008, he was ranked fourth on Forbes magazine's China Celebrity 100 list. This list looks at income and popularity. In 2008, Yi gave 100,000 yuan to help people affected by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. He also carried the torch for the 2008 Summer Olympics relay.

Career Statistics

CBA

NBA

Regular season

Playoffs

Images for kids

• 

  Yi attempting a free throw against the Portland Trail Blazers

• 

  Yi (background) in 2010 with the Nets and then teammate Vince Carter

• 

  Yi with the Wizards in 2011

• 

  Yi with team China

See also

In Spanish: Yi Jianlian para niños