No NBA chance for Yi until 2015

Yi Jianlian from Guangdong, left, passes over Liaoning players during men's basketball final at the National Games in Shenyang, Sept 12, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

GUANGZHOU -- Former NBA star Yi Jianlian has signed a new two-year contract with the Chinese champions Guangdong Hongyuan, said the club on Friday.

According to the south China basketball club, Yi' s contract is "full time"  and  "without any optional clause" , which means there will be no chance for the 6-foot-10 Chinese forward to play in NBA for the next two years until 2015.

"I am not thinking of going back to NBA now, but I have been keeping my eyes on the other coast of the pacific," said Yi in a previous interview with a Chinese magazine.

"The Chinese league has been growing fast and becoming more and more competitive, we saw stars like Stephen Marbury and Tracy McGrady coming to China these years," he added.

The 26-year-old forward has completed a nation-wide champions "grand slam" including the Chinese Youth Championships, the CBA Champions, and the National Games champions that he just won on Thursday after overcoming hosts Liaoning.

Averaging 24.6 points and 10.5 rebounds, Yi also helped Guangdong Hongyuan win back their CBA trophy for the 2012-2013 season, when he was named MVPs for regular season, play-off and all-star game.

Hailed as the new backbone of the Chinese national team after Yao Ming, Yi failed to lead the title holder into the final four at the Asian men's basketball championships in the Philippines in August, which was the worst result in 38 years for China since they took part in the event for the first time in 1975.

Yi was chosen by the Bucks at the sixth pick in the NBA draft in 2007. He played for the New Jersey Nets in 2008, the Washington Wizards in 2010 and 2011, and Dallas Mavericks in 2012.

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