Yao-ZA Yao-ZA baby !!! Wednesday, June 19 Updated: Wednesday, June 19, 2:47 PM ET Rockets assured Yao would play entire season Associated Press -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HOUSTON -- Chinese center Yao Ming would be able to play the entire season and playoffs in the NBA if the Houston Rockets pick him in the upcoming draft, team attorney Michael Goldberg said Wednesday. "We also assured them that he'd be able to play in the Olympics,'' Goldberg said as he arrived home from negotiations with Chinese basketball officials in Beijing. The Rockets want to take the 7-foot-5 center in the June 26 NBA draft but they had been seeking assurances that Yao would not be recalled during the season to play on China's national team. The Chinese wanted to be sure their best known player would be able to play for them in international competition. With that part of the negotiations completed, Goldberg said the Rockets were now waiting a release by FIBA, the international basketball governing body. The China Basketball Association and the Shanghai Sharks, Yao's current team in China, are working to complete their approval process, hopefully leading to a release by FIBA, allowing Yao to play in the NBA. "The CBA and the Sharks understand that we have to have the FIBA release in time to make our decisions before the draft,'' Goldberg said. "The Sharks would be losing their No. 1 player so they wanted to make sure things can be worked out.'' Team physician Dr. Walter Lowe accompanied Goldberg to Beijing and performed a complete physical examination of Yao. He found no health problems that would affect his playing. "This is something that we do with all players,'' Lowe said. "We couldn't get a complete examination of him at the workouts in Chicago. We wanted this to be a basketball decision and not about health.'' Lowe said he was satisfied with results of the examination. "He's a very tall guy. He's very engaging and he's healthy,'' Lowe said. "There were things that worried me on paper that didn't worry me after we saw him in person,'' Lowe said. "The Chinese medical system is super. They allowed me to make a complete examination.'' Lowe said Yao had normal injuries and fractures that were related to playing basketball. While the Rockets moved closer to a deal with China, Yao and his agent John Hizuinga were in separate talks with the Sharks over compensation Yao must agree to pay the Sharks for his departure. "We are actively exploring every possible creative solution that we can to try to get this deal completed,'' Hizuinga said. "Each side is looking for things from their own perspective. What we are doing is trying to find something that will work for both sides.'' _________________________________________________ It is looking Yao arrrific !!! DaDakota
ESPN Insider Question to Chad Ford: Q: Why not Nikoloz Tskitishvilli over Yao Ming at No. 1? All of the reports I have seen about Ming's workouts say that he has outstanding range for a player his size and better-than-average agility, but I have heard nothing about his post game. If you are going to be a No. 1 pick in the NBA draft at center, shouldn't you have a strong post game, knowing that they are going to be running into Shaq at sometime next year? And if his post game isn't solid, why would Tskitishvilli not be a better No. 1 pick? He is faster, with more range, better athleticism, better ball-handling, younger, and seems to have more of a ceiling than Ming for potential. -- Andy, Erlanger, Ky. FORD: Comparing Yao with Skita is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. They're both 7-footers, but they are very different players. Yao's ability to play center is what elevates his stock. While Kevin Garnett's name has been thrown around in conjunction with Skita, no one is exactly sure what he is. He's a bigger reach than Garnett was -- think Kwame Brown here. Yes, he has amazing fundamentals and athleticism, but doesn't have nearly the game experience Yao does. Yao, at 7-foot-5, 296 pounds, will have a long NBA career barring injury. The Rockets know he can't bang with Shaq. Who can? It's his ability to draw Shaq away from the basket that intrigues teams. Both players, because of their unique skills for their size, have the potential to be franchise players in the league. Yao makes a lot of sense for the Rockets. I'm not sure how Golden State, Memphis or Denver can afford to pass on Skita. Dunleavy, Gooden, Butler, Wilcox -- none of them has the potential that Skita does.