Do you all remember watching Utah play back when Keith Van Horn was a freshman? There was a 7 foot Chinese player with 'Ma' on the back of his jersey. He played inside and outside, but was not very dominant. He did show he had fundamental skills had hit several three pointers in the game I saw. He had a good stroke just like Yao. He could handle the ball decently as well. He wasn't getting a ton of minutes but he played a fair amount of time. He was built a little more in the upper body, but similar to Yao with his legs. Anyways, he wasn't a stud but he did have some decent skills. He tried to try out for the Utah Jazz without the Chinese government's permission and was banned from playing for the national team. I'm surprised no one has brought him up. Anyone from China or elsewhere know what happened to him?
Ma Jian was 6'7", not 7 feet. But nice try at attemping to sterotype all Chinese big men as soft three point shooters. You Yao haters are getting more and more clever.
What? I was writing from memory, sorry I don't memorize player's heights. I'm not trying to stereotype Chinese players, I just want to know what happened to him.
Your memory's not bad, I didn't think anyone remembered him. He's not allowed to play on the national team... but he is sticking around in the CBA. He's played for one of the two Beijing franchises for the past few years... but from what I know wasn't any more dominant there than he was at Utah.
Tozai -- Samurai's right -- I was just kidding. Thus the I didn't have his height memorized either -- I had to look it up! (But I did remember that he was a forward.)
He is doing fine in China BA, played for a couple of teams in China, doing good.Still playing, not a dominating player he used to be in China while youngsters like Wang and Yao are much sight-drawing than him, but he is still be known,still a celebrity there. His family, wife and childern, is in US, he has to make money form China BA to meet the expense.
I remember a Ma too that played in the Clipper's preseason about 4-5 years ago and was close to joining ( I mean the clippers said they were choosing between him and two other guys on who to cut). Anyways he was a small forward and was 6'7 220 with a built body like caron butler (and very strong and aggressive). He was pretty agile from what I remember, but he didn't have too great a shot. He was quick and I'd compare him to maybe Devin George of the Lakers but with better ballhandling skills. I remember them saying he was like the Mike(J) of China. But just a reminder that basketball in China has gotten maybe 100 times better than it was then even though it was just 4 or 5 years ago IMO.
Ya that's Ma Jian....I remember watchin that on NBA Inside Stuff. LOL...Willow Bay was hot on that show...Summer Sanders is her hot replacement...nice.
I thought she looked alittle different, I didn't know she was a whole different person LOL. But yup they both are pretty.
