"This was the biggest disappointment in my life as I failed to make my CBA memory perfect," Yi was quoted as saying in Basketball Pioneers newspaper. "I want to use my NBA career as compensation for the loss. I really hope to shrug it off as soon as possible."

Despite the Bayi defeat, Yi is still highly rated by US experts. Leading draft website NBADraft.net predicts the teenager will be picked in 11th position in a strong draft, while ESPN lists him in 6th.

The pressure on Yi will be intense, as media have already begun comparing him to superstars including Dallas Maverick's Dirk Nowitzki and Toronto's Chris Bosh due to the combination of his size, mobility and scoring.

But Yi is not letting the hype faze him.

"It doesn't really matter to me No 1 pick or last pick, the next Dirk or Kevin Garnett," he said. "I know I've got to fight from zero and win my place on my team. What I want most is more minutes from my coach, not being a first round pick. I will need some time to get used to the intensity of games in the NBA."

Off the court, however, he believes it will not take long to adapt to the American lifestyle. He spends his time surfing the Internet and is a self-confessed sneaker nut, and his iPod is crammed full of hip-hop the music of choice for NBA stars.

In addition, he is expected to save a lot of energy on business affairs after teaming up with Dan Fegan, a longtime NBA agent whose clients include Jason Terry, Shawn Marion and Nene.

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