Yao Ming May Quit National Games

[pelbeaini]

http://en.chinabroadcast.cn/301/2005/08/24/45@13751.htm

Basketball: Yao Ming May Quit National Games

2005-08-24 22:18:30 CRIENGLISH.com

China's NBA star center Yao Ming may not be playing for his hometown Shanghai in the upcoming 10th National Games.

The national games are due to kick off in October, and the basketball matches are slated from Oct 10-20, clashing with the pre-season games for the NBA.

Yao, who has just recovered from an ankle injury, will go back to the U.S. for the league matches after playing the Asian Basketball Championships in September.

Yao's Houston Rockets will visit Philadelphia on Oct. 11 for their first pre-season match against the 76ers

[tim562]

http://en.chinabroadcast.cn/301/2005/08/24/45@13751.htm

Basketball: Yao Ming May Quit National Games

2005-08-24 22:18:30 CRIENGLISH.com

China's NBA star center Yao Ming may not be playing for his hometown Shanghai in the upcoming 10th National Games.

The national games are due to kick off in October, and the basketball matches are slated from Oct 10-20, clashing with the pre-season games for the NBA.

Yao, who has just recovered from an ankle injury, will go back to the U.S. for the league matches after playing the Asian Basketball Championships in September.

Yao's Houston Rockets will visit Philadelphia on Oct. 11 for their first pre-season match against the 76ers



Very, Very, Very, Very, Very good news. Yao, quit now and go hang out with Dream. :D

[aaaccchhhooo]

damn let the man rest, he just got off of surgery.. geesh, the chinese national team should sees that should let yao ming free cuz if he doesn't rest, he's not gonna do well in the NBA and he's making a bad name for the chinese basketball as a whole, so just let him go and go find another 7 footer

[m_cable]

Thank god. He's still got the Asian Championships, but that's only one week of C-level opposition. He'll probably only need to break a sweat in the championship game. As long as they aren't rushing him back on that ankle, he should be fine. Besides they got Thibbs over in China checking on his progress, and they shut down Yao workout pretty quick when he got some swelling last week.

[thewaterox]

Yao needs the preseason games with the Rockets to get used to his new teammates Stromile and DA + he does need a rest for the up coming NBA season.

[Uprising]

Yao's Houston Rockets will visit Philadelphia on Oct. 11 for their first pre-season match against the 76ers

Rockets are Yao's? ;)

.....


Great news! I hope he does quit. Come back to Houston Yao! :cool:

[YallMean]

Yao werent going to play 10th National game from the get go. The game is going to end around mid Oct, half month into pre-season. Word is Yao reached agreement with Shanghai sports officials that he would skip that. For those who dont know what Chinese National game is, basically it is a Olympic game competed by 31 provinces and cities once every 4 years. It's important because the sports officals of each province are measured by how well their team do in the game.

[Hippieloser]

Well, I'm sure this is a bummer to Yao's fans in China, since they rarely get to see him play live. Sorry, dudes.

Hopefully Yao can bring an NBA Finals trophy back next summer to soften the disappointment. 8)

Seriously, though, from all the pictures that have been posted here, Yao's ankle ain't anywhere near ready to play yet, anyway.

[ucansee2020]

[URL]Yao's Houston Rockets will visit Philadelphia on Oct. 11 for their first pre-season match against the 76ers

Only 6 weeks to go until first pre-season game? Sounds good!

[rvpals]

Great news!

Sorry for the :rolleyes: people stand to lose lots of Yen because Yao not showing up in national game. :D

[T_in_Charlotte]

I'll believe it when I don't see him on their courts. We've been teased ever since the beginning of the off-season that this was coming, but every time, Yao comes out and says he will fulfill his commitment.

[vlaurelio]

Great news!

Sorry for the :rolleyes: people stand to lose lots of Yen because Yao not showing up in national game. :D

think its yuan

[apostolic3]

I'm thinking a chinese media outlet would not report this unless it was a certainty.

[Kenrui]

It was post by a chinese sports website yesterday!

I'm thinking a chinese media outlet would not report this unless it was a certainty.

[scotia]

good news, Yao need to learn how to say NOOOOOOOOOOP...

[thiagu88]

the chinese govt should recognize he needs the rest if they want him to get them somewhere in the olympics. Playing for your country is an honor no doubt, but if the chinese really want to win they need to let him rest

[TECH]

Rockets are Yao's? ;)

.....


:cool:


Yao is the sole reason why we have our current cast of characters, and coach. :eek: :D

[wireonfire]

http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/k/p/2005-08-26/U349P6T12D1738301F44DT20050826104832.jpg

Don't know when it was taken, but likely recently.

[Azadre]

http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/k/p/2005-08-26/U349P6T12D1738301F44DT20050826104832.jpg

Don't know when it was taken, but likely recently.
Does he have hay fever?

[barryxzz]

http://image2.sina.com.cn/ty/k/p/2005-08-26/U349P6T12D1738301F44DT20050826104832.jpg

Don't know when it was taken, but likely recently.

I think it is during his 7 by 100 meter sprint practice, in which he average 17 seconds with very little rest in between. At least he doesn't look overweight in this picture. According to sohu's report, Yao has been training very hard under the two trainers from Houston. And his stand towards playing national games has changed from "active" to "according to the contract with Rockets".

[Panda]

Sina reported that the Shanghai sports officials went to Houston to ask for permission from the Rockets. The Rockets declined their inquiry of Yao's availability in the tenth domestic games for three reasons: 1. The agreement between the Rockets and Chinese Basketball includes only Yao's obligation to the National Team, not any Chinese local team 2. The conflict between the Chinese games and the NBA preseason schedule. 3. The risk of Yao getting injured.

If the report is true, Yao's obligation is between the national government and the Rockets. It doesn't involve the local government of China. The Rockets organization has the right to say no to the local officials, and so does Yao.

[droxford]

UPDATE:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/26/content_3407000.htm

Yao Ming committed to Rockets to miss Chinese National Games


BEIJING, Aug. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese center Yao Ming will miss the 10th Chinese National Games for his commitment to the Houston Rockets in the 2005-06 preseason games.

"I don't think I can play in the National Games. My contract (with the Rockets) doesn't allow me though I really want to play (in the Games)," Yao said on Friday.

According to a sports official from Shanghai, Yao's native city, the Shanghai basketball team and Shanghai Sports Bureau had contacted the Rockets recently on the release of Yao for the Games representing the Shanghai team.

Li Qiuping, head coach of Shanghai Sharks, travelled to Houston last week after a workout camp of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Ohio to discuss the issue, but he failed to keep Yao until the Games, which is to set off on October 12 in Jiangsu Province.

The Rockets want Yao to come back to the United States after the Asian Basketball Championships, which is slated from August 8-16 in Qatar, to join the team competing in the preseason games.

Reports said the Rockets need Yao to help newcomers, power forward Stromile Swift and point guard Derek Anderson, whom they added to the squad during the summer, to get acquainted with the team as soon as possible.

Yao has to play for the Chinese national team in the world championships, Asian Championships and the Olympic Games, but is not asked to play in the National Games, according to his contract wth the Chinese Basketball Association.

The Rockets will kick off their preseason games against the Philladelphia 76ers on October 11. Enditem

[airbulllard]

UPDATE:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-08/26/content_3407000.htm

Yao Ming committed to Rockets to miss Chinese National Games


BEIJING, Aug. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese center Yao Ming will miss the 10th Chinese National Games for his commitment to the Houston Rockets in the 2005-06 preseason games.

"I don't think I can play in the National Games. My contract (with the Rockets) doesn't allow me though I really want to play (in the Games)," Yao said on Friday.

According to a sports official from Shanghai, Yao's native city, the Shanghai basketball team and Shanghai Sports Bureau had contacted the Rockets recently on the release of Yao for the Games representing the Shanghai team.

Li Qiuping, head coach of Shanghai Sharks, travelled to Houston last week after a workout camp of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Ohio to discuss the issue, but he failed to keep Yao until the Games, which is to set off on October 12 in Jiangsu Province.

The Rockets want Yao to come back to the United States after the Asian Basketball Championships, which is slated from August 8-16 in Qatar, to join the team competing in the preseason games.

Reports said the Rockets need Yao to help newcomers, power forward Stromile Swift and point guard Derek Anderson, whom they added to the squad during the summer, to get acquainted with the team as soon as possible.

Yao has to play for the Chinese national team in the world championships, Asian Championships and the Olympic Games, but is not asked to play in the National Games, according to his contract wth the Chinese Basketball Association.

The Rockets will kick off their preseason games against the Philladelphia 76ers on October 11. Enditem

YES! little by little yao.. you need to stay in america

[Hippieloser]

Well, there's little point in Yao playing in the National games. The whole reason he came to the NBA is because he had nothing left to prove with the Sharks.

I'm sure the Sharks and CBA could have made a nice chunk of change by touring Yao around for a few games, and I certainly don't begrudge China's fans the chance to see their boy in the flesh, but heading back to Houston and getting the Rockets off to a great start with a solid camp is better for Yao himself in both the short and long terms.

[tim562]

I'm glad Yao is finally wising up....

[PhiSlammaJamma]

I have a solution. All Houston rockets are given Chinese citizenship and then compete in the National Games. They will make money. We get to play and practice together. And there you go. This advice is free for one hour, and then I charge per usage at $1.10 per minute.

[wireonfire]

Well, there's little point in Yao playing in the National games. The whole reason he came to the NBA is because he had nothing left to prove with the Sharks.

I'm sure the Sharks and CBA could have made a nice chunk of change by touring Yao around for a few games, and I certainly don't begrudge China's fans the chance to see their boy in the flesh, but heading back to Houston and getting the Rockets off to a great start with a solid camp is better for Yao himself in both the short and long terms.

Actually Yao has said that he wanted to play for the National Games because he has never won it--the Sharks lost in the finals last time to Wang Zhizhi and the Army team. Majority of the Chinese fans actually rather he not to play because it is really a meaningless event, except for the officials who want to get promoted.

It is said the buyout Yao paid was $8mil. But the ownership has already squandered it all on its soccer team.

[Hippieloser]

Actually Yao has said that he wanted to play for the National Games because he has never won it--the Sharks lost in the finals last time to Wang Zhizhi and the Army team.

I see; so the National Games are a seperate entity from the CBA championship? I'm sure Yao would be happy to play in the games if the schedule was a tad more convenient. You say most Chinese fans consider the games a meaningless event, but I'm sure they'd still pack the arena to see Yao play.

In any case, my point remains that Yao has nothing left to prove within the world of Chinese basketball. Global basketball, on the other hand...

[m_cable]

It is said the buyout Yao paid was $8mil. But the ownership has already squandered it all on its soccer team.

See, now that's what I figured. There's a lot of misinformation about Yao's earnings. You hear this 50% figure get thrown around a lot, and that the CBA will get 50% of all his earnings. But the way I've read it from various articles is that it was a strict buyout amount, just like any other foreign player under contract. But it's just that Yao's buyout was much more than the average foreign player. $8 million is approx 50% of the value of Yao's rookie deal, so that may be where the confusion sets in.

[hooroo]

How does he quit something he wasn't obligated to play in anyway?

[Fegwu]

I'm glad Yao is finally wising up....

Actually it was the Rockets who refused to reales him for that event.

So technically, Yao did not quit or reject the National Games invitation rather the choice was made for him by CD and JVG.

[Legendary21]

For those of you who still don't get it (if any), Yao is not quitting the national team but is rather not playing for the Shanghai Sharks.

[qrui]

Actually it was the Rockets who refused to reales him for that event.

So technically, Yao did not quit or reject the National Games invitation rather the choice was made for him by CD and JVG.

and he actually said, in one of the interviews with the chinese media, that if it was up to him he'd play. it could be purely for pr purpose, but as loyal as we all know how yao is i wouldn't be surprised if he really meant it. shanghai is his hometown after all.