An international scout from the NBA Portland Trail Blazers voiced his concern about the age of potential NBA player Yi Jianlian after watching China's second group match on Monday at the Doha Asian Games.

"I was wondering if 19 is his real age. There is a rumor going around the United States and pretty much every NBA person has asked this question," Jason Filippi told China Daily on Tuesday. "In the NBA, age is a very important issue. But we have no way to confirm that. This is just a rumor. We have heard it and we question that."

Yi is seen as a future NBA star center, similar to Houston Rockets' legend Yao Ming, and announced in October he is to enter next year's NBA draft.

Filippi said the age issue urgently needed an answer. "I just have my doubts. For any player, it is just like that. We have no proof. Obviously, that's no the priority. The rule is that if somebody tells you that a player is older, you look at him in a different way," he said. "This is not the first time that players may have had this age problem."

Filippi added that NBA needed young players in a bid to dig out their potential.

"Youngsters are very important for basketball in particular. The younger he is, the more potential he has. They say you're 19, but you are really 21. You can still be a good player. You may not have much potential as someone who is two years younger.

"If I have two players, one is 19 and one is 21. I will choose the 19. Unless, one is so much better than the other."

But Filippi said he was not good at judging people's age and his main job in Asia was to have a closer look at Asia's young players, including Chinese people as long as they are under 22.

"I have more interests in 22-year-old players so that they can be drafted. There are some good players in Asia including China," he said.

"It's good to see them. Because I spent more time in scouting in Europe. But I saw them in Japan (world championships). But in Japan, China's youngsters did not play as much time as they did in this tournament. It's good for them to play a lot at Asia Games. My team will send another scout to China to follow these youngsters."

Filippi refused to comment on Chinese players' performances, citing it against NBA protocol.

"But China has good players with great potential. It is the world's biggest nation. China will certainly produce some good player in the future."

As a senior NBA scouts, Filippi urged Chinese players to be meaner on court and drop the "nice guy" image.

When asked how to grab a position in NBA team, he said Asian players should get more physical and become "bad-boys" on the court.

He said Chinese players, such as Yao Ming, were known to apologize after fouling, hardly a killer attitude.

"In NBA competitions, Asian basketball has less athleticism. They have trouble with athletic players," said Filippi, adding that is also the reason why the Blazers ended the contract with South Korea giant center Ha Seung-jin.

"In NBA you need intensive defense and to be aggressive. Also I think players from China they are very respectful of their opponents. Like Yao Ming, they apologize after a hard foul. But in NBA, players have to be mean, strict and physical on the court."

(China Daily December 6, 2006)