(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-02-29 11:19

NEW YORK - Milwaukee Bucks forward Yi Jianlian, battling fatigue after playing non-stop for almost a year, is confident he will improve as his NBA rookie season progresses.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Yi Jianlian from China shoots under pressure from Philadelphia 76ers guard Willie Green (33) during the second quarter of their NBA basketball game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in this January 8, 2008 file photo. Yi Jianlian, battling fatigue from the grind of a long NBA season, said on February 28, 2008 that he is confident he will emerge from his rookie campaign as a better player. [Agencies]

After a strong start the seven-foot (2.13-metre) Yi has seen his scoring average and minutes shrink in recent weeks.

The Chinese, who had been a fixture in the starting lineup, came off the bench in the last four games with Charlie Villanueva preferred in his place.

"I've run into a lot of new things and there are a lot more difficulties with the NBA season than I expected," Yi told Reuters through his interpreter before Thursday's game against the New Jersey Nets.

"There are a lot of new things to get accustomed to and I'm just hoping through hard work and practice through the rest of the season and more experience through games I can just up my play and get better as the season progresses."

Asked the toughest thing he had to deal with, Yi replied: "Just the schedule".

After his season with Guangdong of the Chinese Basketball Association, he played for his country in the Las Vegas Summer League and in a competition in Turkey before reporting for training with the Bucks.

"I didn't stop in the summer and then I started in the fall with the training camp. Yes, there were some bad reactions to this and it's wearing on me a little bit," said Yi, who is averaging a respectable 9.3 points and 5.5 rebounds a game.

Yi, who collected 29 points and 10 rebounds against the Charlotte Bobcats on December 22, is not discouraged despite only scoring in double figures twice in the last 15 games.

BODY CONDITION

"I think I'm improving," he said. "I'm learning, most specifically about my body condition and getting used to the NBA style of play.

"I still feel like I'm getting better."

Yi is especially pleased his parents have joined him in Milwaukee.

"I'm enjoying that," he said about his mother's home cooking.

Yi knows the NBA's long season can also wear down experienced players after learning that compatriot Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets would be sidelined for the rest of the campaign with a stress fracture in his left foot.

Yao told Yi the injury could threaten his place in China's team for the Beijing Olympics which start in August.

"If he's gone there's a big loss in strength because he has a huge influence on the team so I just hope he gets better soon," Yi said.