DENVER ? The newest Denver Nugget has yet to play an NBA game, but apparently he already has a following that numbers in the hundreds of millions.

The Nuggets on Tuesday formally announced the signing of 6-11 Chinese center Mengke Bateer, who could make his NBA tonight against Golden State in Oakland. Bateer, a 1996 and 2000 Olympian for the Chinese team, participated in the Nuggets' training camp in October, but then returned to China to fulfill commitments to play for the Chinese national team and the Beijing Ducks