TheChinesegiantwassodazzledbythelightsofLasVegasthathedidn'tnoticethefurtiveglancesofthetouristsgatheringaroundhim.NowhewasgazingoutoverthegaudieststretchofurbanlandscapeinAmerica.HemarveledatthebrightlyilluminatedreplicasoftheEiffelTower,theManhattanskyline,thedazzlingfountainsofRome.Ared-facedAmericantouristbrokethereverie.“Hey,YaoMing!”themanshouted.“YaoMing,youdaman!”ItwasthelastthingtheChineseathletewantedtohear.Hegaveatightsmileandthen,aspolitelyashecould,herecitedoneofthefewEnglishphraseshehascommittedtomemory:“IamnotYaoMing.”
Maybenot.ButYiJianlianhadbettergetusedtotheloftyexpectations.AlotofpeopleonbothsidesofthePacificarehopingthatthetalented6ft-11insteenagerwillbethenextYaoMing.EversinceYaoelectrifiedtheNationalBasketballAssociationlastseasonasarookiefreshoutofShanghai,aslewofagents,scouts1andshoe-companyrepshavebeenlookingforaChineseplayerwhocanfollowthelarge—andlucrative—footstepsofoneoftheleague'sbiggestdraws.Yiwearssize-18shoes,justlikeYao.Butitistheglimmerofhisvastpotential—theexplosiveslamdunks,theboyishgoodlooks,eventhemysterysurroundinghisage—thathascatapultedYibeyondwhereYaostoodatthispointinhiscareer.
AsidefromYao,twootherChinesehoopsters2alreadyplayintheNBA:MengkeBateer,amuscle-bound6ft-11insreservecenter3withtheTorontoRaptors,andWangZhizhi,alithe,7ft-2inssharpshooterwiththeLosAngelesClippers.Anotherplayer,arail-thincenternamedXueYuyang,20,waschoseninthesecondroundinJune'sNBAdraft,butBeijing—rankledbyhisdecisiontoenterthedraftwithoutofficialpermission—hasrefusedtolethimtesthismettleinAmerica.SoinsteadNBAscoutsandagentsarefocusingonthecropofyoungerplayers,rangingfromTangZhengdong,19,toprodigyChenJianghua,14,a6ft-1inballhandlerwhosedunkslooklikesomethingoutofaJetLimovie.
Nobody,though,seemsasaferbetthanYiJianlian.Yiwasdiscoveredin1999onaplaygroundinthesouthernboomtownofShenzhen.Barelyoutofgradeschool,hewasalready6ft-4install,abehemothinaregionknownforitsdiminutivepeople.BythetimehejoinedGuangdong'sprofessionalChineseBasketballAssociation(CBA)teamlastyear,hewasanastonishing6ft-11ins—andhecouldleapandtouchaspotmorethan11ft-6insofftheground.(Thebasketballrimis10feethigh.)AsYimasterednewskills—themidrangejumper,thebabyhook,thereverseslam—heattractedtheattentionofAdidas.EagertoloosenNike'sholdonChinesebasketball,theshoecompanyflewYitoNewJerseyforitsABCDCampinthesummerof2002.HewastheonlyChineseplayerthere.“Itwasaneye-openingexperienceforhim,”saysGuangdongjuniorcoachZhangZhenming.“Hecamebackwithaveryclearvisionofwherehewantedtogo:theNBA.”
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![2017年12月英语四级阅读200篇："64位大帝"登基](https://pic.shutu.cn/shutu/static/2023/03/16/ccfa2d/ccfa2d13aaa2208875e48be54b160560.jpeg!w500?v=37931658 "2017年12月英语四级阅读200篇："64位大帝"登基")
