I feel like there needs to be more of these, forget about this current team for a second. Forget about the latter years where we could never keep a healthy T-Mac/Yao. Yao DESERVES to be in the HOF, the post moves he had for a 7 foot center, his work ethic, devotion to his country (yes I know wish he wouldnt play year round myslef.) Bringing two countries and combining them through basketball. Arguably one of the most important players in the NBA. In my opinion this moment defines who he was <iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6jRXhj1PpFU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Salute to the GOAT!
Every true Rockets fan should listen to Woj's podcast w/ Yao Ming and his agent Bill Duffy. Some really interesting tidbits and insight. What's not to love about this guy? http://sports.yahoo.com/news/source...enshrinement-into-hall-of-fame-133818574.html
Yao is a Rockets legend. Can't wait to see his jersey in the rafters, he gave us everything he had. Like Rudy T, Hakeem, Moses, and Calvin. An all time Rockets and Basketball great.
I remember being disappointed when we drafted him. I thought he was going to be another Shawn Bradley. He quickly proved me and a lot of people wrong. Was a huge fan and glad he stayed a Rocket his entire career. And lots of people don't realize when they look at his stats, that during the intense defense JVG days, we would only average about 80 points a game. So the 18 points a game he was putting up was pretty significant.
His refusal to put the Rockets first - the team that was paying him tens of millions of $dollars$ - ahead of the Chinese National team.
He played the Portland series with a hairline fracture in his foot, and continued into the next round. What a WARRIOR ! DD
see dakota's post below yours. nothing wrong of being loyal to one's own country. think all these soccer players...
There will never be another yao. His game was too evolved for the western media to truly appreciate him for what he was, a basketball god sent to our city after atrocious years of migraines and bad sleepovers at mobley's house that ended up in pillow fights between cat and franchis. Yao was gracious in victory and in defeat. No look passes from the high post to a cutting little man, behind the back dribbles, footwork that would make duncan look like a zombie on defense, turn around fades, yao left hook, yao right hook. You couldn't focking stop him......unless you were 6'0 and fronted him or a foot fracture. To our comrade yao, you're always remembered. Big yao foorrreveer.
Shaq forced NBA to change a few rules which in turn limited Yao Ming's potential dominance. Imagine Yao in the 90s...
You should be ashamed to call yourself a Rockets fan. He put the Rockets as his 1b to the Chinese National team as his 1a. The way you make it sound Yao mailed it in, didn't try hard, didn't pour his heart into the city of Houston. That's not the Yao I remember. The Yao I remember came to every training camp, every practice, and delivered one of the most inspirational playoff performances in game 1 against the Lakers. If that's what you call refusing to put the Rockets first, I'll take that all day everyday.
Tallest player of this Franchise with a lot of talent. Best Azn player ever. Maldini, Baresi, all those who stayed at One Franchise.
Interesting... So what you're saying is that if you were playing pro-ball in another country, you wouldn't come back home and put USA (or whichever country you're originally from) across your chest to play for YOUR country?
He was out-rebounded by Carlos Boozer, disappeared in the second-half on a ritual basis, and he developed stress fractures due to his year-round playing. Yeah, the team that was paying him $17 million per year should taken precedence over the national team. The Chinese approach did not lead to success; he should have abandoned that thought and focused on the NBA-only.
