hinese fans are urging Yi Jianlian to sign with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Drafted two weeks ago by the Bucks, Yi has declined to talk about the prospect of signing in Milwaukee. His agent, Dan Fegan, has pushed for a trade and wants Yi in a city with a large Asian influence; Yi's handlers did not allow the Bucks to watch him participate in a predraft workout in Los Angeles. But Bucks general manager Larry Harris said before the draft that he planned to take the best player available and told Fegan he would not shy away from Yi, even though Milwaukee has only about 1,200 Chinese residents.

"Fegan will hamper Yi's future," former national team coach Qian Chenghai was quoted as saying in Tuesday's edition of the state-run China Daily newspaper. "I don't think Yi refused to join the Bucks, it is Fegan who doesn't want him to join.

"We don't want to see Yi destroy his reputation in the NBA and return to the Chinese Basketball Association. That's horrible," the coach said.