By  Luke T. Johnson (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-01-03 10:04

The year of the pig was a squealing success for China in the NBA. Even while the domestic game seemed to take a step back as the national team got roundly pounded in international play and the CBA saw its ratings spiral downward, fervent responses to events such as the Steve Nash-Yao Ming Charity Game and the NBA China Games proved how deeply rooted the NBA already is in the Chinese psyche.

Undoubtedly, the biggest Chinese basketball story in 2007 was the Milwaukee Bucks' selection of Yi Jianlian in June's NBA draft. The addition of Yi doubled the number of Chinese stars in the NBA and immeasurably increased China's interest in the league. Yi endured perhaps the most media scrutiny of any rookie in NBA history (save Yao), from debates about his age to his reported refusal to play for Milwaukee, all before he took his first NBA dribble.

But all the controversy seemed to vanish once Yi took the court, surprising everybody by nabbing a spot in the Bucks' starting lineup when the season tipped off. Critics assumed Coach Krystkowiak had bowed to pressure to guarantee Yi a quota of minutes, but the young Buck quickly proved he had won his starting spot on merit alone. Though he has suffered the ups and downs of a typical rookie, his potential seems virtually limitless.

The year of 2007 dealt Yao some unforeseen challenges. A leg injury sidelined him for the first couple months of the year, especially troubling for Yao since beginning a new year with an unhealthy body is considered bad luck in China. After the Rockets' early exit from the playoffs, Yao returned to the national team for its disappointing summer display. And difficulty adjusting to a new coach's offense has slowed Yao this season as his team struggles, though he has remained relatively healthy.

The NBA climax of 2007 had to be the "China derby", the much-hyped inaugural showdown between Yao and Yi in November. Anywhere between 100 and 300 million people in China tuned in for the game, which was billed as a sort of Chinese Super Bowl. The excitement was palpable that Saturday morning at the Goose and Duck sports bar in Beijing: The place was teeming with fans decked out in Yao and Yi jerseys going wild whenever either of them touched the ball. With hundreds of fans noisily banging inflatable thunder sticks together and cheerleaders on stage dancing during timeouts, the atmosphere was like that of a live game even if it was thousands of miles away from any NBA court.

The next China derby will fall on Chinese New Year and should be another compelling chapter in China's NBA story. It will probably be the most-watched basketball event in China in 2008 - until the Beijing Olympics, of course, when Yi and Yao will join forces to take on the world. Chinese fans hope the NBA experience their stars have gained will translate into Olympic glory, making 2008 a truly golden year.