I'm pretty sure we're talking about the official Biography cowritten by Ric Bucher. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_1/103-0210556-2650245?v=glance&s=books
in cantonese, "this one" sounds more like nee gaw. i'm not sure if i'm saying it wrong, but when i pronounce it, it sort of sounds like lee gaw. i always say that when i go to the chinese bakery and pick out which cake i want.
Now that you mention it, I think I remember something about that... I think Yao played against Tyson just a little bit after Tyson was drafted, and Yao later said something to the effect of "well geez, if that guy can get picked #2, how could I not be a #1 pick?"
" During the 2002 draft --Jerry West was one of the first people to call Caroll Dawson about doing a trade to get the # 1 pick---I thought this was funny since I remember Jerry West talking down Yao, and trying to convince people to draft Jay Williams #1 instead. (pretty sneaky...) " I remember when Jerry West signed with Grizzely, he answered a reporter's question of that year's draft with " Go Big, maybe learn some Chinese(or Asian)", that was way before the lottery though . I never doubt Yao would not be a No.1 draft thoughout the year, though my prediction was Yao would have already become a Shaq/Chamberlain combo after two years,
That's too bad that Yao turn down some endorsement and some money making. Maybe the money doesn't mean that much to him but he could've use it and give it to charities. That's what is wrong with some culture that turn down these kind of stuff because they don't want others to see it as greed but Yao could've put it to better use. Hope he'll learn from this.
you should buy the book then, because yao is donating the profits to the world special olympics foundation.
i understand what you are saying and its would have been nice for yao to take those endorsements for charity reasons, but you have to understand the guys position as it is. he is being stretched all over the place and has all eyes on him. he understands that he has enough money to retire on for the rest of his life and his childrens lives at the age of 23, so money isnt an issue. to him it was a question between more money vs some peace and quiet which to him is more valuable,
Maybe Yao turned down those deals just because he wanted to have more time for himself? It's not like he doesn't have enough money for the rest of his life.
LOL. I remember West on TV saying that he'd "maybe pick Yao if he were at 6 or 7." I was a bit disappointed to see that the reporter didn't call him out on that terrible attempt at a bluff.
That's not the worst. The worst is the rest of the media and fans using what West said to fuel their own anti-Yao stance. "Hey, the Logo said he sucks. I knew it all along. Page 1..."
Its Yao Mings only autobiography. Its great so far. I think im gonna finish the whole book tonight. Hes so interesting...
MORE INTERESTING STUFF FROM YAO'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY- (A Life in Two Worlds) I do remember Jerry West saying that he would take Yao if he was the 6th or 7th pick but this is what John Huizinga from the Houston Rockets Office says from the book JOHN HUIZINGA: " I have to admit that coming back to my office and having my assistant tell me " Jerry West called," was an unbelievable experience. West certainly was different from CD, who is this easygoing ,down-to-earth guy. With West it's like the meter's running;he's got things to do, places to go. West said the Grizzlies were interested in Yao, and with his record of being able to build a team, Memphis was an interesting possibility for sure..." p. 108 YAO MING ON CHINESE CHARACTER TATOOS ON NBA PLAYERS " Marcus Camby of the Nuggets has some Chinese letters on his arm that could mean a lot of diferent things, because they are characters that you wouldn't normally put together. His tattoo could mean 'encourage" or "force" or " reluctant." " Whoever put on Kenyon Martin's tattoo must not have been a NETS fan. His letters mean "not aggressive" or "indecisive". Anybody who has seen Kenyon play knows he isn't like that." p.216 YAO MING : "I don't have a lot of women ask me out because I've always made it know I have a girlfriend. Some NBA players don't want anybody to know they have a girlfriend so they can look for a better one, or have more than one. P.238 TEYO JOHNSON ( tight end for the Oakland Raiders when he and Yao were in the AAU summer leagues) p.52 " When I got to the hotel, and gave my name, the girl at the front desk said, "Oh you're with the big Chinese dude." I thought, "What , I've joined a team of foreign exchange students?" I went up to the room, and knocked, but when no one answered. I stuck my key in the slot. Just then Yao Ming answered the door. In his underwear. Tighty-whities. And all I could see was up to his chin in the doorway. ..... I called my mom right away, and whispered, "There's this 7'6" dude in my room, and he's Chinese!" She said, " Yeah, the Mongolians, and Huns can be really big." I didn't know what to think until we went to practice the next day. That's where I found out--this dude could play. "I played point forward on that team, and I'd get ten assists a game, eight of them throwing the ball to Yao. What he liked most, thought, was just hanging out, because it was the one time in his life he was allowed to be just another teenager. We couldn't communicate, but we connected. We've been boys ever since. I didn't see him again for years, but I'd call him every six months or so, and set up a three-way conference call with a translater. He called me from China the day I was drafted by the Raiders to congratulate me, and when I saw him at his second All-Star Game, he gave me his jersey. The way I see it, we're friends for life." p.54 YAO IN TIGHTY-WHITIES LOL !!!
