Chinese giant leaves favorable impression By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson raved Wednesday after his first in-person evaluation of 7-5 Chinese center Yao Ming. And though he was not ready to proclaim Yao the certain first pick of next month's NBA draft, Dawson did take a step toward learning Chinese: That would be Yao as in "wow." "Very impressive," Dawson said in a telephone interview from Chicago, where Yao worked out Wednesday for 65 representatives of NBA teams. "Tremendous size. Shot the ball and ran well. He dribbled with both hands very well. He's very solid from 17, 18 feet. He makes a lot of shots. I've seen a lot of tape, but seeing him in person was a bit different." The Rockets have a 9.8 percent chance of getting the first pick of the draft via the lottery May 19 in Secaucus, N.J. But Dawson had more work to do before he could determine whom the Rockets would select with the first pick if they get it. "I want to see everybody else in that area," Dawson said. "I think you'd have to think about him (Yao) if you got the first pick. You've got to think about him in the top three for sure." There are questions about Yao's ability to adjust to a much more physical style of basketball in the NBA. When he faced teams from the United States and France in the Sydney Olympics, Yao was in early foul trouble. He had trouble Wednesday inside against 7-2 Chris Christofferson, the ex-Oregon center. "How many low-post players are there in the NBA? There are not that many," Grizzlies president Jerry West said when asked if Yao will be physical enough against NBA centers. "I think the biggest adjustment for him will be the level of competition." West would not say if he considered Yao worth the first pick of the draft, but he did not see much risk in choosing him. "A team like Chicago has two terrific young big guys (Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler), so maybe they are looking a different direction," West said. "A guy like him will be a nice NBA player, but it is going to take him some time to get where you want him. "I don't think it is a roll of the dice. He will be a player in the NBA. His size alone is unique; his shooting skill is unique. I think the things he can do as a big player, the coaches will like that. Everyone is looking for a center, so I think that will make him even more valuable." Yao has agreed to provide additional workouts for the New York Knicks and Bulls. Dawson said he might like to have Yao in for a workout in Houston, likely depending on the lottery, but that nothing has been arranged. Rockets scouts and coaches have seen Yao in China and in international competitions. But Wednesday, Yao did enough under pressure to remain the tallest player on the short list to be chosen first. "I'd agonize over it a lot, but I would depend on other people," said P.J. Carlesimo, the former NBA coach who served as the workout moderator. "Would he be in the hunt? Absolutely. I think he has to be. He's someone you need to think about. You don't get people with his kind of skills at that size at his age, so I think you have to think about it very much."
Here's a question: Would Yao being on the Rockets fill the Compaq Center again? I think he would. Whether it's partially from the Asian community or just basketball fans, I think he would be such a hot topic that people would pack the place if he has any sort of game at all. Yao vs Shaq will be amazing. Shaq will get the better of him but it would still be worth watching. os
OS, Moses used to get the better of Dream when he first came in the league, but that changed, didn't it. I think the Rockets covet this guy, he is everything they need. A tall athletic player who has great skills. If they get one of the top 3 picks and Ming is there.....lock and load baby !! DaDakota
It would be so cool. So cool. PG Francis SG Mobley SF Lewis or Odom (I think we'd have to give up Mo and the 15th, it's not impossible) PF Griffin C Yao Ming Bench: Kenny T., Moochie, Rice, Torres, Morris, Cato (if we can't get rid of him - if we could get Ming, I'd love some trade where we would ship Cato's ass to Phoenix for Bo Outlaw and cap filler), and last on the bench some sleeper late 2nd round pick like Cat that will come as a big surprise. Plus, get Air Bullard back to be on the IR and become an assistant coach. If Ming is anything close to what they say about him, I'd like to see that team grow for a year and then go for the championship. 9.8 % chance, baby!!! It can happen!!!
I would buy deeply discounted season tickets to see Yao play for us during our last year at the Summit, Laptop, Lakewood...
With Mo a question mark because of his surgery, doubtful to be included in a trade package and definitely not going to the Clippers. Mango
I would keep Mo regardless. He's the one Rocket who knows how to post up. He adds something to the offensive club that nobody else this coming season can provde that well. Granted I think Griff will get to that point but he has a ton of delopment to make on the low block. As far as Yao...well I doubt we'll get him but if we do, we know little to nothing about his post skills. If he has some, it will take time for him to adjust playing against muscle, height and skills. That's why I opt to trade Kenny. With Ming, Griffin, a big SF, Cat and Francis, I could care less if Mo grabbed 2 rebs a game. Hell Mo T can take off down the court at first chance and take an easy lob for 2
Just say no to Yao, if we draft him, he'll only be a rental until his contract is up and he can go to New York...
I'm not convinced of that. 1) Anderson, Eisley, Weatherspoon & Allan Houston have relatively large contracts until the end of 2005-2006. 2) Sprewell, Camby & Ward have Player Options during Ming's rookie contract. All have Bird Rights and if the Knicks resign even just one of them, they will remain over the cap after Ming is a FA. 3) The Rockets will have Bird Rights for Ming and can match any offer. I realize that Bird Rights are something that the owners are trying to get rid of (which IMO, they couldn't so substituted the Luxury Tax for cost control), but unless the next CBA has substantial changes, forcing a trade to the Knicks will not be that easy.
The Rockets need a center that can put pressure on the other team's center to play Defensive for an entire game and shut down the middle due to horrible defense by our guards. Our current offense is not suited to that type of play with ISO and pick/roll all night long against a zone. The question, can we beat Shaq, Duncan, or Dallas in playoff series by adding Yao. Yao remnids me of the Dallas 7' footer shooting 3's and afraid to take a 10 footer. We have enough people to put the ball in the hole, however, we don't have enough D to stop a AAU Team. I think Houston would be easy for him to adjust to with the Chinese population.
Sadly, I am becoming more and more convinced that the fix is in. From the ESPN story about Yao's workout: I mean, mathematically, the Knicks barely have a chance at landing the top pick and they get a private workout? Why would these teams get private workouts unless Stern was trying to sell Ming to them? I wasn't buying into the conspiracy theories before, but this is a joke. Maybe this explains why the Warriors, who have the best chance of landing the first or second pick of any team except the Bulls, haven't been drooling over Ming. They know it's hopeless, so they're not going to bother. And by the way, Memphis did ask for a private workout with Yao and was denied. Check out Jerry West telling it like it is:
take a look at this....im with you Baqui99...(from ESPN Insider) Of bigger concern for the 27 teams that don't play in New York or Chicago is why Yao would only grant private workouts to the Knicks and Bulls. West did some saber rattling for the Grizzlies, saying his little team in Memphis with a 0.72 percent Chinese population won't be "blackmailed." Quick aside . . . West is learning quickly he's no longer in L.A. Would he ever have been able to lure Shaq if the Lakers played in Memphis? Don't think so. Several other executives grumbled about what seemed to be preferential treatment. Yao's delegation told several teams, including the Grizzlies and Nuggets, that it simply didn't have time for Yao, who heads back to China Friday, to work out for everyone. Still, if the Knicks don't have something cooking, why did Yao afford a private workout to a team with only a 4.4 percent chance of drafting him? Will the Chinese really refuse to release Yao if he's drafted by a small market team? "We haven't gotten any indication that it is even in anyone's mind," NBA VP Stu Jackson told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "That is speculation by people that are interested in our game, whether it be the media [or someone else]. There is no concrete evidence that it is an issue. In the NBA draft, every team has the right to draft anyone they want." Still, despite the disappointment -- inevitable because of the hype -- there's little doubt that Yao will be one of the top few picks come June. At 7-foot-5, he isn't as big a risk as you would think. "There's always room in the league for a 7-foot-5 guy who understands the game of basketball," one league executive told Insider. "He may not change the game as some people predict, he may never be an All-Star, but his skill level and height guarantee that he'll have a team to play for as long as we wants to be in the NBA
A team does NOT have bird rights for a player after only three years in the league. That's why Cuttino could have signed with Toronto a couple of years ago and there was nothing the Rockets could do about it. Ming will leave to be with a team he chooses. He COULD also just threaten to play in China if a team he does not like drafts him. Not to mention the fact that every Chinese player is on permanent call the their government. If they need you for a game or exhibition or whatever, he has to go. No questions asked. Wang has already missed time with the Mavs because of it. It doesn't matter if it's the playoffs or a big game just to get in the playoffs. One word from his government, and he's on the next train out. Call me crazy, but I'd rather draft a kid like Woods that I can deal with just him and his agent, not the Chinese and the NBA brass. If he was the next Shaq, I'd do it. But not for Rick Smts.
http://nypost.com/sports/knicks/15487.htm Here's another article on his workout...i posted a blurb from the article... Warming up before his 70-minute workout with Oregon's 7-3 center Chris Christoffersen before 67 NBA talent evaluators representing 26 teams, Ming took the ball to the college 3-point line and hit five straight shots. However impressive Ming's touch was from long range yesterday during his lone pre-draft workout, scouts also wanted to see Ming's inside power. And in one alarming sequence, Ming showed he still has a long way to go before he's going to be able to defend the stronger NBA big men in the post or score in the post. During a low-post drill, Christoffersen, a 300-pounder who probably will go in the second round, backed in on Ming and sent the 240-pounder flying back. Christoffersen turned and sank the uncontested shot. By the final 25 minutes of the workout, Ming appeared exhausted, often putting his hands on his knees, bending over, gasping. Chinese basketball shape surely is not NBA game shape. ------ I think the tiredness could easily be from the jetlag and his body clock not being just right...
As unexciting as a player like Rik Smits might have been, he gets you to the playoffs and to advance when you get there. You need big men in the league. The Rockets can't keep getting offensive minded, athletic swing players while neglecting their frontcourt and expect to win.
