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Nellie Loves Chinese Ballas

It looks like GSoM's own The Yi Movement is getting some major love from Chad Ford at ESPN.com:

yi-ford.jpg

Yi's going nuts in the Chinese Basketball Association:

Last week he scored 38 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Shanghai in the first game of the playoff series. He followed up with a 20-point, 15-rebound performance in Game 2. Then Yi helped Guangdong clinch the series with 32 points and 17 rebounds on an amazing 14-for-19 shooting performance from the field.

But most importantly Don Nelson loves Chinese ballas (all 2 of them who've been in the NBA?):

Lots of teams are interested in him, but watch the Warriors closely. Don Nelson loves Chinese players, and Yi has a game reminiscent of Dirk Nowitzki's. Plus, he'd be a huge draw for the Bay Area's large Asian population. He remains our top-rated international prospect, currently sitting at No. 10 on our Big Board.

With the Warriors finally healthy and touting a starting lineup of Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington, and Andris Biedrins with Monta Ellis, Mickael Pietrus, Matt Barnes, and Kelenna Azubuike the first guys off the bench, it's looking more and more like the Warriors might make a little run and wind up with a late lottery pick a la 2 years back when Boom Dizzle first came to the Bay. It's going to be fun to watch, but it'll kill the team's chances of picking franchise cornerstones Greg Oden and Kevin Durant or even hyped up played like Joakim Noah, Brandon Wright, Julian Wright, and Al Horford. However, if Yi's up for the taking near the end of the lottery the Warriors could end up with an excellent draft pick who's a perfect fit for Nellieball when it's all said and done. I'm predicting one of those behind the scenes deals where Nellie and the Warriors get Yi to refuse to work out with other teams, so they can swoop him up like they did with Andris Biedrins several years ago.

How do you think Yi will do in the NBA?


Props to loyal GSoM community member Dubbadown for putting this up in a diary and TZ from Sactown Royalty for sending us this link.

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