CHN - Sun hopes to shine for Lakers

LOS ANGELES (NBA) - Sun Yue is still waiting to learn from coach Phil Jackson which position he can expect to play for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Sun, 21, has been billed as the first Chinese guard to be drafted into the NBA, but the 6-9, 205-pounder can also play small forward and admits he does not know yet where he might fit into Jackson's triangle system.

"My position has been a little blurry ever since I started my preparations for the draft," Sun told Chinese reporters on a conference call.

"But I do not think my position is that important to me. I prefer to play at guard, but it is up to the coach."

Sun was one of two Chinese players selected in Thursday's draft. Yi Jianlian was taken sixth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks, but appears unhappy with the idea of playing in Wisconsin and his agents have said they are seeking a trade.

Sun has no such problems with the idea of playing in Los Angeles. "I feel good about being chosen by the Lakers," he said. "After all, I have been playing with (former team Aoshen) in Los Angeles in the last two seasons and I have paid great attention to the Lakers."

Sun will meet up with Yi and China's most famous NBA player, Yao Ming, in Dallas this week as the Chinese national team prepares to take part in the NBA summer league, starting with Friday's game against the Dallas Mavericks.

"Yao Ming is my model," Sun said of the Houston Rockets All-Star center. "He is a very professional player who trains very hard.

"Yi Jianlian is of one my peers and we get on very well with each other. I am glad that he has been drafted too. He will have a bright future. It is interesting that we will turn into opponents after being teammates with the national team. I cannot wait to play against him in the court."

When Sun gets to Dallas, he will meet up with China coach Jonas Kazlauskas, who had publicly said prior to the draft that Sun is too raw to make an impact in the NBA.

Joseph Chen and Ian Parker
FIBA