"He is very close to a player who is in the NBA like I would say Amare Stoudemire," Yao said. "Yi is taller. He is almost seven-foot. He has a very nice touch, very athletic. He has everything (to be) a great player.

"From my experience, it is very important he plays in the summer league. The games played in the summer league I think will be good for him and for his team, whatever team drafts him. I was not in the summer league the year the Rockets drafted me so I had a very tough start in the beginning. For a player from China, I think you need time to adjust."

Yao never played against Yi, but they have been national team teammates for the past three years.

"When I left China, he just started to play," Yao said. We never matched up. I think he is a very good four. He can play a little bit of a five, sometimes. Good shot blocker. He just needs the right training, people who can tell him how to play on the NBA level."