The play has obviously been whistled dead, which would explain why Xinjiang’s Von Wafer (No. 12) is walking away from the basket. Nonetheless, we love this picture. Everyone should be as happy as Yi Jianlian while playing sports, to say nothing of soaring above the rim to throw down a one-handed dunk.
Meanwhile, our favorite Asian in the NBA had this happen to him. You don’t have to smile if you have a lacerated head.
The Guangdong Southern Tigers beat the Xinjiang Flying Tigers 102-98, avenging their loss in the season opener (the CBA plays a true home-and-away round-robin schedule). More than halfway through the season, Guangdong and Beijing — the two finalists last year — sit atop the standings with identical 14-3 records.
(Image via Sina, January 4)
He’s not happy, he’s embarrassed. Chinese don’t smile for the same reasons as Westerners.
The play whistled dead, he’s just going through the motions that he can’t stop, and so he knows he’s acting like a doofus as everyone is waiting for him to stop showboating.
If you meet a Chinese that smiles at you that way … watch out.