There was a noticable drop off in YM's energy in both of his first two years. This year was different however because he was able to find away to contribute to the tune of 46% shooting and about 15 points a gama which was a lot better than his rookie year. I think his conditioning will continue to improve.
This is worth reading again. Nice perspective check concerning Yao Ming. I am pleased with what I see so far. He made strides last year from the first month of the season to the end of the season. He made just as many strides this year. His growth has been tremendous. If he continues, which I feel he will, he will have a fine career.
Hey, where is that guy who "step off". Either he's fuming or he knows his conclusions that Yao can't play or be the man is just a bit premature. It may still come to pass. But no-one knows now. Hey, I was mad at the dude too. I wish he flushed O-Neal down the toilet and won the 1st playoff series in the NBA he ever played in. But that was not to be. He didn't dominate like we all wished he would. But then again, JJ didn't play his usual best, eventhough he was the "most steady player" for the Rockets during the regular season. It sure would have been nice if the Rockets won the 1st game with a JJ 3-pointer. It didn't happen.
Good news: Yao will have at least a month off. Chinese government also cares about his well-being and future. They don't want him to burn out so quickly. Yao is off to Seattle accompanying the Chinese national women bball team which has his gf on the roster. So he is having fun.
Del Harris being the Chinese NT head coach should help Yao. Del understand Yao's conditioning problem and won't unreasonably drive him to exhaution in their training.
For everyone's concerns about Yao's conditioning, I'll go ahead and make a comparison to KG since we seem to compare the two in every other way. In KG's first like 3-4 years, he always tired at the ends of games, especially in the playoffs when it counted most. In fact, that was a huge knock on him, it was not at all uncommon to see him slumped over holding his shorts for the last half of the 4th, that is a fact if you remember those years. But he became a much better conditioned athlete over the last 3 years and it clearly shows. Hoepfully Yao can also put in the conditioning work.
Last year Yao went on a circus show with team China and had to report late for training camp. But now Yao is having a much easier summer in 2004. Yes he needs to head back to China for training and exhibition games in June, but nothing intense until mid-July. Then after Athens games he will have at least one full month off in September. Hope Team Yao will continue to help pushing for longer vacations and building Yao's upper body strength in the next two years. Yao has yet to miss an NBA game for injury. Not saying it is no good, but for a big man with questionable stamina, not sure if this is good for him.
Excellent post, aelliott. I think that we had Dream for so long ruling the paint that we thirst for Yao to be the same. Like I stated before, if Yao becomes Smits and we win, thats cool. If Yao becomes an all-time great and we win, thats cool. As long as the rings pile up I really don't care what Yao becomes to tell you the truth. I am a Rockets fans. I am all about the banners.
Or....Maybe Del will tire Yao out on purpose for the NBA season. , but seriously: I was reading Hoops Magazine (w/ SF and Yao on the cover) and Moochie had a quote about Yao: "It took Shaq a few years to work out how to use his body in the league, Yao can learn that, too."- I just thought that was a good assesment, especially from Mooch. But we all know that the success of this team is soley based on Yao Mings progress. Yao will get stronger and better, but until he develops the right mindset and toughness, he won't be the player we want him to be.
If Yao doesn't turn into the player you "want him to be" in two more years, I say, trade him. That said, I think he will.
I have noticed that alot of Asians that I know smoke. Any idea if Yao smokes? Maybe thats the reason he is always tired....
No, he doesn't. He is just exhausted from playing ball year around for last few years. Remember he is 300+ lbs, it just takes a lot more energy for him. But he is getting better, especially he will get a couple long breaks this off season.
