Chronicle: Yao gives hint of talent

Chronicle: Yao gives hint of talent

Rockets' top pick makes most of limited touches
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- With the spotlight following his every move, Yao Ming offered his first performance on a North American stage and followed the show-business adage perfectly. He did just enough to leave the audience, including Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich, happy, hopeful, but hungry for more.

When he shot the ball, Yao was perfect. He just did not have a chance to shoot often. When he used his size, he could be awesome. But he also said he needed to add girth to his enormous height.

A guest star in Steve Nash's show Friday, the 7-5 Yao was not quite a scene-stealer. But he had his moments. The shooting touch was every bit as advertised. Yao made all six of his shots and all five of his free throws to finish with 17 points.

But his clearest lesson might have been that Nash, the first Canadian NBA All-Star, was on another level from everyone else on the court in the exhibition between Canada and the Chinese national team. In a 94-66 Canadian rout, Nash scored a team-high 25 points in his final Canadian game of the summer.

But Yao impressed.

"I believe Yao will have a very good NBA career," Nash said. "He's going to create his own legacy. He's going to have a great impact on the league. Houston is really fortunate to have him."

Yao said the experience showed him he will have plenty of work to do.

"I need more weight training," he said. "No. 23 (6-6, 260-pound Canadian backup center Richard Anderson) is so strong. He was so physical. Maybe I can get stronger than him."

But Tomjanovich was not about to complain. If anything, he seemed even more eager to get Yao on an NBA court where officials likely would prevent the inside wrestling match of Friday's game. Tomjanovich said he was no more excited about getting Yao, but only because he had been so thrilled.

"It was great," Tomjanovich said. "I will say, I liked what I saw. I got a feel for what he could do. Thank God we have the rules that we have. I have been excited all along. Nothing has changed the way I feel about the guy."

Unlike the last NBA game in Vancouver, when the Rockets and Steve Francis became easy targets to vent frustration and cause to demonstrate nationalistic pride, the game was treated as a happy celebration. There were more Chinese flags in GM Place than Canadian. The crowd of 12,070 cheered Nash's every move but also delighted in Yao's dunk.

But for those looking for a first North American glimpse of what the Rockets will get when Yao joins them, there were only hints.

With his teammates unable to get him the ball, Yao led his team in scoring, but had little impact on the game. But he did provide the night's best highlight that did not involve Nash.

Canada needed only to apply consistent ball pressure on the Chinese guards to keep the ball away from Yao inside. China tried to post-up Yao, but it was all the guards could do to keep the ball.

With his hands on the ball for just the third time in the game's first 7 1/2 minutes, Yao quickly turned on Anderson and threw down a violent slam through a hard foul.

Wearing No. 13, rather than the No. 11 he will wear with the Rockets, and playing with no less than an eight-inch height advantage throughout the game, Yao was unable to become a consistent part of the Chinese offense his guards could not run. But he did seem to grow more at ease throughout the game.

Yao, who averaged 32.4 points per game in China last season, added five rebounds, five blocked shots and three steals.

But in a more general sense, for Tomjanovich, Yao's first days in North America were a success well before the Chinese team arrived in GM Place, in uniform, 45 minutes before tipoff. Yao was greeted with cheers in introductions, apparently indicating that Hakeem Olajuwon was not the only Rockets center to have earned Vancouver's affection.

But Tomjanovich was so pleased with his visit with Yao on Thursday, he was moved to make another Olajuwon comparison.

"I talked to him after (meeting with Yao's) coach," Tomjanovich said. "I was pretty excited about the meeting with the coach and I was talking really fast. I said, `Normally I talk slower.' I told him I would try not to talk so fast. He really reminded me of Hakeem. He said, `You shouldn't have to adjust to me, I'll adjust to you.' "

Tomjanovich was not sure if he would get to talk with Yao at all. But Thursday, Tomjanovich visited with Yao for an hour and 15 minutes, discussing everything from Rockets plays to players.

"I feel like he felt comfortable with me," Tomjanovich said. "I felt comfortable with him."

Yao also said he enjoyed the meeting. But more importantly, he also seemed to be looking forward to putting it to use.

"I just got to know him," Yao said. "I don't think I can have that much time to train with the Rockets. If we can start with each other, that's a good beginning."