02-July-2007

BEIJING AOSHEN OLYMPIAN CHOSEN IN NBA DRAFT

Los Angeles, CA - The Los Angeles Lakers selected 6'9" guard Sun Yue with the 40th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft which was held at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The 21-year old Yue was the first of two second round picks by the Lakers who also tabbed Spanish center Marc Gasol, the brother of Memphis Grizzlies forward Pau Gasol.

Yue, a member of the Chinese National Team, averaged 13.5 points, 10.5 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game last season playing with the Beijing Aoshen Olympians in the American Basketball Association (ABA). He was also named to the 2007 All-ABA First team.

The Beijing club has been playing in the ABA since 2005 in Los Angeles. Yue was named to the Second Team All-ABA and made the ABA All-Star West squad in 2006. He was also originally an early entry for the 2006 NBA Draft before withdrawing his name from consideration. In 2005, Yue participated in the Asian Championships in Doha and a year before that played for the Chinese Under-20 National Team.

According to Joe Newman, ABA CEO, "We are very proud of Sun Yue and we wish him well. He is a great player and definitely an example of the outstanding talent that is in the ABA. We are pleased that the NBA is looking in this direction. Our All-Stars can help NBA teams if given the opportunity."