Devil's Advocate: A Lesson for Yi Jianlian

I'm just going to come right out and say it:

I am not pro-choice.

That's right—I don't believe in the right of a draftee to choose which team he (or she) plays for.

I believe it's an honor to even have the opportunity to play professional sports. Most people I know would literally crap themselves if they were offered millions of dollars to do what they love. Instead, the majority of us have to settle for doing something we hate...for paltry wages.

Personally, if I could do something I love for a living, those paltry wages would be worth it.

But that's just me.

Yi Jianlian, the 6'11" Chinese power forward drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in this year's NBA Draft, apparently believes otherwise.

Indeed, Yi has proved that whoever you are, wherever you're from, the creed is always greed.

Apparently being picked sixth overall wasn't good enough for Yi. Neither is the millions of dollars in guaranteed money he has coming his way.

Instead of counting his blessings, Yi has refused to sign with Milwaukee—and is threatening to go back to the Chinese Basketball Association if a trade can't be arranged.

So what gives? Chen Haitao, owner of Yi's former CBA team, told the Beijing News that the problem was simply one of Yi's basketball future.

It is about Yi's commercial interests. He's no dummy—he saw what an effective management strategy did for Yao Ming's fortunes in both China and the United States.

Go to Milwaukee, do your three years, and then cash out in the city of your choice...just like most players do.