Milwaukee Bucks' Yi Jianlian of China claps hands with fans before the team's opening scrimmage of the new season at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Oct. 6, 2007. Yi got 10 points and five rebounds during his first appearance at the Bucks' home court.(Xinhua Photo)

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Milwaukee Bucks' Yi Jianlian of China jumps to shoot during the team's opening scrimmage of the new season at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Oct. 6, 2007.(Xinhua Photo)

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BEIJING, Oct. 8 -- Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barret yesterday declared Oct. 7 'Yi Jianlian Day' to the loud applause of the Chinese basketball player's fans.

This is the second festival named after a Chinese basketball player following Houston's announcement in 2002 that Dec. 11 is 'Yao Ming Day.'

Yi's fans held a reception at Bradley Center yesterday, attended by more than 500 fans and VIPs including Senator Herb Kohl, who owns Yi's new team the Milwaukee Bucks, Mayor Tom Barret and Huang Ping, the Consul General of China in Chicago.

Yi, Milwaukee's top draft pick this year, signed a multi-year contract with the Milwaukee Bucks in August after lengthy negotiations amid talk he and his handlers weren't happy he was taken by the team.

His U.S. agent Dan Fegan said Yi's contract was worth "roughly 3 million U.S. dollars" a year, guaranteed for the first two years pursuant to an NBA collective bargaining arrangement for rookies.

(Source: Shanghai Daily)

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Chinese basketball player Yi Jianlian signed here Wednesday a multi-year contract with Milwaukee Bucks to kick off his career in NBA.(Xinhua Photo)

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