在易建聯之前，中國只有3位球員——王治郅、巴特爾、姚明在NBA打過球。作為“師兄”，看看姚明給阿聯征戰NBA提供的建議：1）學會和人交流。針對易建聯性格內向，姚明認為阿聯必須要多和隊友、教練、媒體進行交流。2）參加夏季聯賽以便提前開始適應NBA的比賽節奏。3）提高速度和力量。姚明認為阿聯不缺速度，但還不具備足夠的力量，需要好好鍛煉上肢肌肉。

China's top NBA prospect Yi Jianlian walks out of the Los Angeles International Airport,United States April 12,2007 for his league's annual draft in June.[sina.com]

Houston Rockets' All-star center Yao Ming has urged Yi Jianlian to "open himself" to a new lifestyle in the United States.

The 19-year-old from Guangdong arrived in Los Angeles yesterday for a privatepre-Draft training camp, where he will be coached by former Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon.

"As far as I know Yi is a little bit shy so his No 1 task in the US is to open himself to others," Yao told Basketball Pioneer Newspaper. "You cannot ignore the cultural difference between eastern and western countries, a lot of people have trouble with that. Yi should, I mean, he has to, open his heart and communicate with the people around himon and off the court, not only teammates, but also coaches, trainers, officials and also US media.

"Good communication will take some pressure off him, it's very helpful."

Teaming up with NBA longtime agent Dan Fegan, Yi will take part in a series of camps held by NBA teams and head to thedraftin New York on June 28. He is expected to play the NBA summer league afterwards, something that Yao believes will be beneficial.

"From my experience, it's very important for him to play in the summer league. I think that will be good for him and his team, whichever team drafts him. I was not in the summer league the year the Rockets drafted me, and I had a very tough start."

"He needs more muscle, that's for sure," Yao told the paper. "He lacks the upper body strength and the back to the basket moves at power forward and is a bit long and rangy for the three.

"Despite his vast improvement, he needs to continue to develop his upper body strength. Although he doesn't shy away from physical contact he can get disrupted by rough post play and struggles to maintain his position in the low post as opposing defenders tend to push him out."

In last year's draft an international player, Italian Andrea Bargnani, was taken first pick by Toronto Raptors. This year the draft is considered much stronger, with US college prospects Greg Oden and Kevin Durant battling for first pick. Yi is predicted to go between 6th and 12th.

（Chinadaily） 

Vocabulary:    

pre-Draft training camp:選秀前訓練營

on and off the court：不管是場上還是場下

draft:選秀

（英語點津陳蓓編輯）