Herb Kohl publicly downplayed his role in last week's signing of Yi Jianlian, the Chinese star Milwaukee selected No. 6 in June's draft against Yi's wishes, but only personal guarantees by Kohl on how Yi will be handled ended the stalemate, a source intimately familiar with the negotiations said.

Those guarantees, according to the source, include Yi averaging more than 20 minutes per game and possibly as many as 25. Only such an assurance by Kohl eased concerns that with coach Larry Krystkowiak facing his first full season and GM Larry Harris under pressure to win now to keep his job, Yi would spend much of his rookie year on the bench.