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HOUSTON -- Before departing on a recent road trip, Rockets star center Yao Ming swung by the team's video room with a special request.

He wanted a DVD featuring every highlight from Yi Jianlian's brief NBA career.

"He looks nice," Yao said after watching the disc.

On Friday night, Yao will finally get a closer look at China's next big thing in the NBA.

Before what is expected to be one of the largest television audiences in the history of the league, Yao will play against Yi for the first time in the NBA when the Milwaukee Bucks visit Toyota Center.

The two stars will be the first Chinese players to match up against each other since Dallas' Wang Zhizhi played against Denver's Mengke Bateer in 2002. But obviously, Yao vs. Yi has a bit more intrigue.

During a national telecast on China's CCTV on Saturday morning, nearly 150 million fans are expected tune into the game between the country's two biggest stars. The NBA is even throwing a huge viewing party -- complete with an American-style breakfast -- in downtown Beijing.

"After being in China for a couple of years, I finally appreciate how big Yao is," Rockets forward Shane Battier said. "It's going to be really cool to play knowing that so many eye balls are on this game. It really is a landmark occasion. But 20 years from now, it's going to be a common occurrence for Chinese players to be lining up against each other."

Yao is more than familiar with Yi's game.

Since training camp for the 2004 Olympic Games, Yao and Yi have formed the Chinese national team's formidable front line. Yi, a 7-footer, showed up to camp as a forward with good shooting range and athleticism.

The Rockets center said he knew in their first meeting that Yi would eventually be joining him in the NBA.

"I knew one day he would end up playing here," Yao said. "He has huge talent and he already showed part of it in his first four games."

Yi (pronounced Ee) has certainly shown why the Bucks made him the sixth overall pick in the NBA Draft.

The Chinese star has already emerged as a starter in the Bucks lineup, fitting into a starting five that features Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut. During his third NBA game, he showcased his potential by scoring 16 points and collecting eight rebounds to help the Bucks beat the Chicago Bulls.

But even with that progress, Yi has a long road to NBA stardom. He had a two-point performance against Charlotte in which he played only 15 minutes. The Bucks rookie also needs to add more bulk to his 239-pound frame and develop his low-post game.

Yao can relate to Yi's start. During his rookie season, Yao averaged 2.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in his first four games. He even joked Thursday that he was just hoping "the Rockets wouldn't send" him back to China.

Given that, Yao did offer Yi some advice upon his arrival to the United States.

"We talked to each other like twice when I got to the U.S.," Yi said. "(Yao said) just try to work hard (because the) first season is going to be not easy."

Despite Yi needing more time to develop his game and adjust to life in the NBA, the matchup against Yao has generated enormous fan interest in China. The Rockets have given media credentials to 14 Chinese reporters, which is double the amount that regularly covers the team. The game is expected to air on 19 different stations throughout the country.

Meng Wang, a sports reporter for Titan Sports who covers the Rockets and Yao, said Chinese fans have been clamoring about the potential matchup between Yao and Yi since the Bucks rookie was selected in the NBA Draft.

"It's such a big event," Meng said. "I think this a landmark (game). Two Chinese players start for two NBA teams. That means a lot. Because of this, more and more Chinese fans will watch the NBA and basketball will get bigger in China. This will encourage more kids to play basketball and, one day, there will be more Chinese players to come to the NBA."

Yao would certainly welcome the increased attention.

Despite all the hoopla and talk about how many viewers will be following Friday night's action, the Rockets center was actually a little disappointed to hear there wouldn't be more viewers in China.

He hopes more Chinese fans will be as anxious to see Yi as he was earlier this week.

"I heard it's going to be close to 200 million people watching," Yao said. "Hey, our country has 1.6 billion people. That's still a small part of it."