Chron: Francis nicknames Yao

Remember when the haters were saying how Francis didn't want Yao when the Rockets drafted him?


Francis' nickname for Yao clarifies franchise's future

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle


Finally given a partner in pressure and expectations, Steve Francis felt the need to make Yao Ming's status clear in his own way. Both have known since even before Yao joined the Rockets that for them, scrutiny is more intense, the burdens greater than for other players. But so is the potential of their partnership.

That is the understanding of their collaboration. But Francis decided that was not enough.

For years he had worn his "Franchise" nickname uncomfortably, finally choosing last summer to accept it, maybe even embrace it and all it demands.

But he has decided Yao had earned the same kind of "honor."

Francis decided to slap an even more demanding handle on Yao Ming, labeling Yao, "Dynasty."

"That," he said, "is even bigger than `Franchise.' "

The nickname does play on a Ming Dynasty reference, but Francis said he considered it more of a statement about his hopes for his franchise.

Teammates and Rockets staff members have heard Francis refer to Yao as "Dynasty" more for about a week. But to make sure the nickname sticks, Francis said he is having the We R One apparel company he, Nick Van Exel and Sam Cassell own specially prepare a wardrobe of gear with the word "Dynasty" unmistakably displayed.

Told of the nickname, Yao laughed at the latest example of how he had been embraced. Yao's interpreter Colin Pine said he did not think Yao was familiar with the sports connotation of "dynasty." But it likely would not have mattered. Either way, Yao knew there was a compliment in there somewhere.

"It doesn't matter to me," he said through another of his increasingly frequent embarrassed laughs. "Whatever he likes is all right."

Minutes earlier, Rockets guard Moochie Norris had passed him in a hallway outside the Rockets' locker room singing Yao's name. But as embarrassed as Norris' song might have made its subject, Yao said there was something good in the sentiment.

"It makes me feel," he said, "they really welcome me and helped me become a part of this team."

More than a month into the season, that much has long since been apparent. But since Yao's success over the past few weeks and the new levels of acclaim -- and role in the Rockets' scheme and hopes -- it has brought, any thoughts that teammates might resent the unusual attention paid to a rookie have been proved unfounded. Instead, they have accepted him as a rare rookie.

"I didn't really think about (the potential that teammates could resent his acclaim,)" Yao said. "There are still some things I am getting used to with the attention."

He has not learned to enjoy the attention. Of the nightly media duties, he said, "It's my job."

In some ways, the Rockets seemed prepared to sacrifice attention for help. After last season's humbling fall to 28-54, the Rockets said the only worthwhile goals were measured in wins and losses.

Still, the daily questions about another player, especially heavy when the team is on the road, would seem likely to grow old. Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said he was never concerned about petty jealousies becoming an issue.

"Maybe I should have (worried). I didn't," he said. "We've been sort of used to it. I had Hakeem (Olajuwon), Charles (Barkley), Clyde (Drexler), Scottie (Pippen.) We've been a pretty high-profile team. Steve. This is different. There is so much international (media), it's almost double."

But Tomjanovich also had an idea about Yao's ability to endear himself to teammates. He scouted Yao's abilities on the court first. But while he was in Beijing, and when he attended Chinese national team practices in Indianapolis, Tomjanovich said he also checked out Yao's talent at getting along.

"You never know, but I watched him," Tomjanovich said. "When I scouted, I actually watched the dead time, too, what happens after practice. Yao was fantastic with his teammates. At times watching the game, I was frustrated with wanting him to get the ball. The guys who couldn't get him the ball, he was just patting them on the back and encouraging them."

Yao also has displayed a talent for charming the curious while remaining humble. As great a departure as a pre-game news conference is from his international or China Basketball Association experiences, Yao has yet to show weariness with the same questions interrupting his schedule. He offers sharp one-liners almost every night, and rather than seeming impressed with himself, has refused to soften on his determined humility.

"He's as funny, clever and natural with the media as he is away from media," Rockets president George Postolos said. "Charles, Michael (Jordan) or Grant Hill when they got in the league and got all that attention had that same poise. That makes them so effective. Yao Ming has that already. It's something he had from his very first press conference in Houston as a Rocket. That bodes very well.

"Just imagine when he masters the language to an extent he can communicate directly with the media without an intermediary. People will know him better and he's ... already incredibly effective."

But for most of his previous three seasons, Francis was the "Franchise." That has not entirely changed. But there are differences, changes Francis said he enjoys.

Francis said the attention paid to Yao cuts back on his daily media demands, especially on the road. And he said he doesn't mind answering questions about Yao, having watched Olajuwon and Barkley willingly answer questions about him throughout his rookie season.

"It's been nice," he said. "It's more of a relaxed role for me. I can't complain about that. I still can't believe ... eventually, as Yao starts to fill out even more as a player, the attention will go to our team, instead of to Yao or myself. He won't be just a curiosity. People will know more about what we're doing as a team. They'll read about us in the paper. They'll see us on television."

But they will judge Francis and Yao differently. Eventually, they will be measured by the success of their team, and only on a pass/fail scale.

That is of course the demands that come with being called "Franchise" or especially "Dynasty."

"For myself, I've basically been groomed for this time to come since my rookie year," Francis said. "I'm pretty sure he's been groomed for this since he became a professional in China."

As for Yao's new clothes, Francis said he expects them to arrive next week.

"We had to get it with extra, extra long sleeves," he said. "Also, it has to come all the way from China."