Jsonline: Bucks hoping Yi can add strength

carmelbrownqueen · Post #1 » by **carmelbrownqueen** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:19 am

Bucks hoping Yi can add strength
By TOM ENLUND
tenlund@journalsentinel.com
Posted: April 15, 2008

The Milwaukee Bucks will finish a forgettable season tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center and afterward, the players will be free to scatter to all parts of the globe for the summer.

For rookie Yi Jianlian, the season's end means a return to China, where he will begin training with his national team for the Summer Olympics in Beijing. The Bucks are hoping it will be a productive off-season for Yi but mostly they would like to see him get physically stronger.

There is uneasiness, though, about whether Yi will actually be able to accomplish that considering the busy summer that lies ahead for him with the Chinese team.

"I don't know how his strength will be improved (over the summer)," coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "It's really hard in the middle of our season to get stronger because most of our lifting is maintenance where you're just trying not to get weaker. You do light weights and higher repetitions and you're just trying to maintain where you are because of all the calories and energy that you burn with practice and the games.

"In the off-season, which there may not be much of (for Yi) with all the basketball, where you don't have to run so much is an opportunity to get bigger and stronger."

The Bucks plan on providing Yi with a summer conditioning program, yet they're not sure how much good it will do considering Yi's busy off-season schedule.

"We'll give him something that he can follow but the challenge with all the international competition this summer, with all the practices and with all the games, is he's not going to have a chance to get that much stronger," Krystkowiak said. "It's going to be maintenance again, just to try and maintain his strength. He's not going to have two months off where he can go and lift and start getting his muscles bigger. . . . You can't do that with all the exercise."

Asked if it was something that could set Yi back next season in the NBA, Krystkowiak said, "Potentially."

Yi averaged 8.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in 25.0 minutes per game in 66 games. For the most part, the Bucks were pleased with his season. That was especially true in the first half, before fatigue and injuries set in. His confidence might have waned a bit as opposing teams learned how to defend him and take away his outside jumper.

That's why the Bucks want him to get stronger so he can develop more of an inside game. But Yi will be under the supervision of the Chinese team and not the Bucks this summer.

"At the end of the day, the definition of employee - obviously the culture in China would be different maybe than in the States - but you're receiving a pretty good paycheck to be a member of the Milwaukee Bucks," Krystkowiak said. "You would like to believe that we have an opportunity to say, 'Hold up a minute.' But in light of what's going on in China with the Olympics and everything, you can't expect them to not want to take full advantage of Yi and Yao (Ming).

"But I think if you asked any NBA owner, if they had their choice, when you see this international competition . . . I would say the majority of owners are going to say, 'We really wish you wouldn't play.' But then you're crossing into some political issues where the Olympics are every fourth year and what right do you have to not allow a guy to go and represent his country?"

Krystkowiak said playing all year round was a lot to ask of an NBA player.

"I think it's dangerous territory for anybody," he said. "If you've been part of an NBA season, when you're playing in the 30s or close to 40 minutes a night, and you play roughly 100 games in 200 days . . . I mean, it's gets a little risky. And then you go into some international competition. I don't believe that the good Lord really put our bodies together with that kind of work in mind. So I think it's a little bit risky to expect guys to hold up like machines when we're not."

From the April 16, 2008 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Bucks_Revenge · Post #2 » by **Bucks_Revenge** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:24 am

I love Yi's potential and think he will be way better next season....but I feel as if this thread will turn into a Yi bashing thread.

carmelbrownqueen · Post #3 » by **carmelbrownqueen** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:34 am

Every thread will turn into an Yi bashing thread until he comes back and produces for us again. My thought in posting this article was to get into more of a discussion about what we could do (Bucks team management) to help him this summer to add strength.

I agree with Kryskowiak, that he isn't going to be able to do much as far as building his strength this summer because of his busy schedule which could once again hinder his development or result in another injury plagued season, but what CAN we do? We are really stuck between a rock and a hard place.. if he could just spend the summer working on his game and building his strength he could come back a much improved player.. I just don't think he will get that opportunity though.

Post #4 » by **paulpressey25** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:36 am

This offseason will be lost for Yi.....I just hope he can rest and those news stories about the CNT playing a grueling 30 game schedule before the Olympics were not true.

Otherwise we'll be looking at stress fractures and all sorts of crap next year......uggh....

emunney · Post #5 » by **emunney** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:07 am

At least his body is getting a break right now. When do Chinese Olympic practices start? Maybe he's getting some upper body training in while he rests his knee. Oden did.

KingCammo · Post #6 » by **KingCammo** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:28 am

The Chinese will work Yi to the bone, don't worry about that. They always seem to have a more hectic schedule than other participating nations, no matter what the tournament is.

Nowak008 · Post #7 » by **Nowak008** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:53 am

Anyone seen Ninja Warrior before? Yi to strengthen his hands could do this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=AQcRlSuaJLE&feature=related

trwi7 · Post #8 » by **trwi7** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:01 am

Nowak008 wrote:Anyone seen Ninja Warrior before? Yi to strengthen his hands could do this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=AQcRlSuaJLE&feature=related

If he wants to strengthen his hands then he can go on the twirl workout regimen for a month. Results are guaranteed and it costs nothing! Plus, you can do it late at night, in fact, that's the recommended time of day to do it.

Chapter29 · Post #9 » by **Chapter29** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:32 am

Sadly much like Bogut his 1st offseason, Yi will not get much of a chance to train. Whether that be to work on a certain area of his game or developing his body.

In fact its almost the opposite. He has to now go learn another system with a whole new team and international rules. And wear himself down rather than recharge and improve.

I wish these International players would get a year or 2 reprieve. I don't mind when the vets go represent their Countries, but these rookies badly need their offseasons.

smauss · Post #10 » by **smauss** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:32 am

Maybe we should just have Yi take the first 2 months of next season on the DL specifically for weight training. See what the chinese folks have to say about that. Bottom line is that Yi MUST get stronger to be an NBA player, it must happen if the Bucks are to use Yi effectively............

IrishRainbow · Post #11 » by **IrishRainbow** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:29 pm

Again....JS is king of obvious....and late to the party we've all been attending since he was drafted.

LISTEN2JAZZ · Post #12 » by **LISTEN2JAZZ** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:01 pm

smauss wrote:Maybe we should just have Yi take the first 2 months of next season on the DL specifically for weight training. See what the chinese folks have to say about that. Bottom line is that Yi MUST get stronger to be an NBA player, it must happen if the Bucks are to use Yi effectively............

That's an interesting idea. We can say all day that we're the ones paying him millions of dollars so we shouldn't be the ones having to lose his service during games... but the Chinese government simply isn't going to let him rest on their watch.

Honestly I think it's all a bit silly. He isn't a very good basketball player. Do we intend to use him as a basketball player or just as a revenue stream? Can China ever commit to giving him every other summer off, and only having him for the Olympics and Worlds? If not, he should earn a pro-rated salary from the NBA, because he isn't committing to the team to the extent that's expected of an NBA player.

SupremeHustle · Post #13 » by **SupremeHustle** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:24 pm

I do not like Yi.

I do not like him in the post.
I do not like him when he coasts.
I do not like him, he can't pass.
I do not like his narrow ass.
I do not like him day or night.
I do not like him more than Wright.
I do not like that guy called Yi.
I do not like him, Supreme-I-Be.

carmelbrownqueen · Post #14 » by **carmelbrownqueen** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:32 pm

emunney wrote:At least his body is getting a break right now. When do Chinese Olympic practices start? Maybe he's getting some upper body training in while he rests his knee. Oden did.

We probably should have declared him "out for the season" in February, that would have given him some more time to work on strengthening his body and giving him a break from playing for a while.

europa · Post #15 » by **europa** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:06 pm

Another reason why Mo for Haslem makes a ton of sense. The Bucks have to get a starting-caliber PF who can defend on the roster in case Yi's game doesn't improve next season.

showtimesam · Post #16 » by **showtimesam** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:38 pm

europa wrote:Another reason why Mo for Haslem makes a ton of sense. The Bucks have to get a starting-caliber PF who can defend on the roster in case Yi's game doesn't improve next season.

1. I hope hammond likes this trade
2. I hope Miami does not draft Rose
3. I hope Riley still wants Mo after his scrub pg's like chris quinn lit him up this year.

http://www.last.fm/user/DPF55 · Post #17 » by **Buck You** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:20 pm

So the Bucks have a training regimine in place that Yi won't use. Great!

carmelbrownqueen · Post #18 » by **carmelbrownqueen** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:25 pm

ReddBogutCharlieV wrote:So the Bucks have a training regimine in place that Yi won't use. Great!

No that's not what I got from what they are saying. Based on what was stated. Yi will be given a training routine, and the odds are he will use it.. but because he is going to be playing so much, it won't produce the strengthening results that we would like because he isn't going to get enough downtime.

http://www.last.fm/user/DPF55 · Post #19 » by **Buck You** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:31 pm

carmelbrownqueen wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

No that's not what I got from what they are saying. Based on what was stated. Yi will be given a training routine, and the odds are he will use it.. but because he is going to be playing so much, it won't produce the strengthening results that we would like because he isn't going to get enough downtime.

Ok. So the Bucks have a training regimine in place that won't technically help Yi add enough strength to be a better player. Why doesn't he stay after practice in China and do the training regimine there? It would help him play better next year and the olympics this summer. I mean, China wants to win the olympics don't they? Make Yi stronger!

jerrod · Post #20 » by **jerrod** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 3:41 pm

ReddBogutCharlieV wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Ok. So the Bucks have a training regimine in place that won't technically help Yi add enough strength to be a better player. Why doesn't he stay after practice in China and do the training regimine there? It would help him play better next year and the olympics this summer. I mean, China wants to win the olympics don't they? Make Yi stronger!

it's not quite that simple, building muscle like that takes a certain amount of rest, with constant games he won't get that