CHN/USA – Mandarin-speaking Alexander a star attraction in China with Bucks

GUANGZHOU (NBA) - Yi Jianlian no longer plays for the Milwaukee Bucks after being traded in the close season to New Jersey but the NBA club still has plenty of fans in China.

That’s because former West Virginia college standout Joe Alexander, who spent several boyhood years in Beijing, now plays for the Bucks.

In the Far East this week for Milwaukee’s pre-season game against Golden State, Alexander, the eighth overall pick in this summer’s draft by the Bucks, was the center of attention of the local media.

He even said a few words in Mandarin at an NBA reception on Tuesday night.

"As soon as he started to speak, people applauded out of excitement," Bucks director of public relations Dan Smyczek said to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Alexander had spoken with a lot of enthusiasm about travelling to China before arriving with his new teammates.

“They’re going to eat some crazy local food,” he said.

Alexander and his family lived in China because of his father, whose job got him relocated there. Alexander attended the International School of Beijing in Shunyi from 1996-2002, which is where he started to play the basketball.

When his family moved back to America, he played high school hoops in Maryland. In the game against Golden State on Wednesday , Alexander had 11 points as the Bucks won 98-94.

FIBA