I remain optimistic (bordering on total confidence) that Yao Ming will be a Houston Rocket this fall. But I also recognize there are a lot of questions in the mean time. But, moving on briefly from that point... Just wanted to share that I just read Ben Wallace and Elton Brand have been added to the USA basketball team for the World Championships this year. This means Yao Ming + co will be facing (on the front-line): - Antonio Davis - Raef LaFrentz - Ben Wallace - Elton Brand - Jermaine O'Neal This is a great group of guys for Yao Ming to put himself against. Young (mostly), talented, skilled, and offers a variety of different looks that he'll have to match up against. All of them though will be very tough on defensive, and several of them will be interesting tests going on offense. China will be playing the US twice in August. First, Aug. 22th in Oakland CA in an exhibition game. Then, they face off in the World Championships on Aug. 31st at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Tickets for both are available, for those of you who might be interested in seeing Yao Ming face off against some of the best centers in the NBA today. Any theories on what's going to happen?
USA to win by 15 points, Yao Ming the top scorer in the game and outplays his direct opponent, wows the crowd. -G'day-
i'll be at the aug22 game! hopefully ming will be a rocket! i'll be interested to see how he plays against ben wallace...that should be a big test of his offensive abilities.
I just hope BOTH of these games are FULLY televised! If Yao Ming goes #1 in the draft I would have to think there would be HUGE interest in those games. Anyone know anything about the TV schedule for the World Championships? TNT doing it? This really would be everyone's first FULL look at Yao Ming. Chris
http://www.2002worldbasketball.com/flash/eventinfo/schedule.htm Saturday, August 31, 2002 China vs. United States (Group C) - app. 8 p.m. *Looks like they changed the game time to fit for TV purposes Before they came out with a tentative schedule press release that stated that this game was to be played @5:30 pm at this press release link on the same site ... http://www.2002worldbasketball.com/flash/news/schedule.htm
Its a lose-lose situation for Ming on that on anyway. If he dominates them then people will say they're all undersized centers and he'll have to do it against Shaq. If he doesn't dominate people will say see there i told you. I hope he rips them a new ******* but America wins. Then people will say he will contribute right away and be at least 2nd best center in the league which i think he will be anyways.
I agree with you Leebigez. as Much as i want to see him play against team USA, I think that if he doesnt play well, there will be a HUUUUUUGE influx of Ming Haters around saying I told you so... Look at all this pressure this kid has already...and hes playing for negative 3 million...
Yao should be able to score easily over 6'8" to 6'9" guys like Brand and Wallace. With his height, he should be able to shoot over the top of these guys, jumping and shotblocking notwithstanding. Whether he actually can will be a measure of how far he has to go to be a good or great player.
Does anyone know where I can get tickets for the Aug 22nd game in Oakland? The Warriors website mentions you can buy them at www.tickets.com but I can't find them listed. Thanks. Sun Tzu
If he dominates those centers, it would only mean that people would start acknowledging that he is infact already better than most centers in the NBA even before he plays a game there. How many other rookies out there can say that they have already beaten proven and all-star quality NBA players, before they enter the league? Let's see how he goes, but I am confident he will do better than just 'OK'. -G'day-
