I think that they can definately be Shaq and Kobe I think they have strengths that play off each other Steve is a a D*mn good shooter [not great but good] If Steve can Feed Yao . . .His dives to the basket should make for some HELLAFIED ALLEY OOP HIGH LIGHTS! I'm so excite to see what happens this year I think they BOTH have CAREER YEARS I think Steve will get his 20 .. . While Yao will get his 20 . . . Even Cat will get 15 I think they will be more Shaq and Kobe Rocket River
I think Steve can potentially be as effective as Kobe, but asking him to be the same type of player just is probably not possible. I think if Steve could committ to playing better D, then you would start hearing his name mentioned with the elite of the game. Same thing with Yao. Yao has the ability to be more effective in a high post role than Shaq could ever be and overall. However, it would be difficult for him to acheive the level of physical dominance that Shaq has achieved. Yet, he can dominate in a different, but equally effective, way.
Yao and Steve will never be Shaq and Kobe cuz... Yao and Steve will never fight and they actually pass each other the ball.
Truth is I believe this tandem has the potential to be better than both, but as yet are not as good as either. Remember, both of those tandems went to the Finals, this tandem is still trying to get to the playoffs.
let me see, Shaq one of the best centers ever to play the game, kobe younger then francis. so they are better then francis and ming. i do not believe Ming will be as dominant as shaq, but we will see. And francis is older then kobe, and kobe is already better. you could argue about penny shaq. i haven't seen them play alot so i can't say they are better then francis and ming will be.
First off, let me say thank you for making a topic about Yao and Steve as a DUO rather than making it seem like they're competing against each other. As for the question, I think they'll be a unique duo, but they'll be somewhere between Kobe/Shaq and Penny/Shaq. Yao isn't as good as Shaq, and probably never will dominate like him. Francis isn't as much of a threat as Kobe. However, Yao will be better than the rookie Shaq, and IMO Francis is already better than Penny. So that's where I see them falling.
If you are trying to say Shaq and Penny was a inferior duo, I would disagree. The pre- injury Penny was the second coming off Magic and really meshed well with Shaq. I would say if Shaq would've stayed with the Magics and Penny stayed healthy, that team could've been a better team than the current Lakers (well before Payton and Malone anyways). Pennny was one hell of a distributor but can turn up the scoring when needed, and at 6'8 was a matchup nightmare for all opposng pgs.
Actually, if I were to try to describe their potential as a duo, I would be more inclined to say Isaiah and Kareem. Which would have been a very intriguing combination, even if they didn't ever play together.
Or, in my wildest dreams, Oscar Robertson and Kareem (who clearly were rather successful in their limited time together). Obviously, Steve has a ways to go to be in the same class as either Isaiah or Oscar (as does Yao vs. Kareem), but Steve's athleticism, driving ability, and rebounding instincts put him somewhere in between Oscar and Isaiah stylistically. If only he can develop the court instincts and passing ability to be mentioned in the same breath as either of those two, this duo could become something really special. This is what fuels my hopes with Van Gundy. He has a reputation as a teacher, especially in the two areas where Steve needs the most improvement.