Milwaukee selects 7-foot power forward with No. 6 pick

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks said they've made a global impact by selecting Yi Jianlian.

But that's only if they can get Yi, selected with the sixth pick in the NBA Draft, to a city his handlers had shunned in the weeks leading up to Thursday night.

Disregarding his desire to play in a city with a heavy Asian influence -- there are only about 27,500 Asian Americans in Milwaukee -- the Bucks picked the 6-foot-11 forward to become the fourth Chinese player to make the NBA.

The question is whether he'll ever wear a Bucks uniform.

"I think so," Yi said. "It's a surprise to me. ... I'm not really familiar with the city as well, but I'm happy to be playing with the team and happy to play in the NBA."

Bucks general manager Larry Harris said Yi was rated third on the Bucks' draft board, and will showcase Milwaukee to China.

"It's global now," Harris said. "Chinese basketball is huge and it's growing and to have one of their countrymen that is actually very, very good and can play and is young and can be here for a long time, I don't know how it's not a windfall for us."

Yi Jianlian has an athletic body and a solid shooting touch. (Getty Images)

Yi is not scheduled to appear in Milwaukee, but instead will join the Chinese national team and scrimmage on Sunday and Tuesday in Dallas before heading to Las Vegas to play in the NBA summer league.

Harris said he wasn't sure if he'd meet with Yi's representatives in Dallas or Las Vegas, but that playing for the national team is Yi's priority.

"Based on timing, there wasn't any way to get him in here," Harris said. "I don't want anybody to be misled that that's a bad thing. Certainly we would encourage him to come here as soon as he could."

Questions about his defense, strength and age surround Yi Jianlian (pronounced EE TEE-an-LEE-an), who has been protected by handlers who wanted him in a city like Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia or the Bay area.

Agent Dan Fegan did not allow the Bucks to hold a private workout or see Yi, but did allow teams as low as the Sixers, with the 12th pick, to take a look at one of the draft's most unknown talents during a workout in Los Angeles. Harris said Philadelphia was among several teams that called and tried to trade for the pick.

Harris said Fegan was surprised at the Bucks' pick.