There's no magic in Sun Yue

Lakers guard Sun Yue said he doesn't want to be referred to as "China's Magic Johnson" but if he has to have a nickname "The Monkey King" is fine.  "I don't want to be called the next Magic Johnson," Sun told the China Daily of the nickname giving him by the Chinese Press.  "He was a great player, and he has everything you could ever ask for in a coach but I don't think I am going to pattern my game after him in my rookie year," he said of Magic Johnson, a part-owner of the Lakers.  Sun was signed by Los Angeles Lakers to a multi-year contract after he helped China to an 8th place finish at the Beijing Olympics.  He averaged 6.8 points and 2.5 assists at the Games.  "Monkey King is a legendary simian hero of the Chinese Buddhist literary classic "Journey to the West."  "If they want to name me after the fighting Buddhist master then I guess that will make me a bit more literary," Sun said "For the fans to already have these kinds of plans (to name me monkey king) is really great support for me."

Janis Carr, OCregister.com