Yi Jianlian is still fairly new to the NBA. He plays for the Washington Wizards. Before coming to the United States, he won three championships in China and many awards. Other than Yao Ming, Yi is the most well-known Chinese basketball player.

Skills are an important part of what makes Yi so good. He can shoot well from far away and is very athletic even though he is seven feet tall! Yi can use his power and size to get to the basket and score. One way for him to do this is to put the ball on the floor. We talked with him about this phrase and about learning English.

Jason: Welcome to English, baby! I am Jason here with Yi Jianlian. How are you doing today?

Yi: Good, good. How are you?

Jason: I'm doing well. You've been here in the US for a few years. How much English did you know when you got here?

Yi: Oh, just a little bit. Not much.

Jason: Where had you learned it? Did you learn it in school in China?

Yi: Yeah, I learned a little bit in school, and I learned a lot more over here.

Jason: So here on English, baby!, we like to help people learn basketball language, and I was wondering if you could tell us, what does it mean to put the ball on the floor?

Yi: Dribbling. Attack the basket.

Jason: What do you do when you put the ball on the floor? What's in your mind?

Yi: For me, it's try to score.

Jason: Yi says that "put the ball on the floor" means to dribble. To dribble means to bounce the ball. When you dribble, you can move, and Yi likes to move to the basket. Let's hear his definition again.

Jason: What does it mean to put the ball on the floor?

Yi: Dribbling. Attack the basket.

Jason: What do you do when you put the ball on the floor? What's in your mind?

Yi: For me, it's try to score.

Jason: Thanks so much for talking to us. Could I get you to give me a high five and say "English, baby!"?

Yi: English, baby!

Jason: Alright.

(englishbaby.com April 7, 2011)