Those are the only reasons I can think of that explains the Ewing hate. No one here is really privy to the coaching any of our assistant coaches provide. It's akin to calling out whoever preps the video tape scouting because the players look clueless out on the floor. I mean, I can understand calling out the hc for bad substitions, bad use of timeouts, their overall philosophy, etc, etc, but we are talking about a freeking assistant here.
One thing that disturbed me with Ewing's mentoring this past season Yao really didnt do the post moves his did his rookie year that made people go wow he can be really special with those moves. Ewing just taught him to do the bang to the middle of the lane jump hook or jumpshot. I cant recall Yao doing nearly as many drop-steps, fakes, up and unders that made him so effective. The things Ewing taught him certainly helped him a lot, dont get me wrong, but I think thats as far as Ewing can go in terms of teaching him. Moses can certainly teach Yao about rebounding, esp on the offensive end, Kareem can teach Yao the subtleties of the game and refine his hook shot. Of course the man that may help yao the most with his footwork is Hakeem, but I believe he has moved out of the country to raise his family and I dont think he will want to come back for an entire season. What I think could be the best is if China lets him have a summer for once and Hakeem trains with him that summer.
How about Rudy T and Carroll Dawson team him some moves in the paint like they did with Hakeem Olajuwon. Oh wait, nevermind. Seriously, I think Kareem or Bill Russell or Mo Malone would all be fine candidates.
Hakeem says "Ok Yao, be freakishly athletic and quick like me..... hmm... this isn't working. Let's review tape of my games in the past. Ok, See how I am just freakishly athletic and quick and David Robinson can't even keep up? Do that....... Why isn't this working?"
other than being a former Knick, i'd like to know why Ewing should be replaced. I thought he did a great job with Yao.
Yao was not bad last season, and he outplayed Shaq, of all people, in a couple of games. Sorry to see Steve and Cuttino go, but I hope we will have a great team next year with an improved Yao Ming and T-Mac hopefully playing well together. I do think we need to add a few more pieces to the puzzle, though, like Brent Barry and a tough, shot-blocking PF/C type.
Slow? Inconsistent (which is expected of 2nd year players - especially foreign ones) is probably more accurate.
That was more of joke than it was a serious response. I also think Yao is right on a pace where he should be. I really hope he takes a big leap though this coming year, most of the players, such as high schoolers or foreign players need seem to make a big jump in their third season.
Yao needs to be a lot more decisive and ready to score on his first move, esp as teams utilize the zone even more effectively. He wont have time to make those one on one moves in the post. He went to those moves far too often his rookie year, even when it wasn't called for, imo.
I agree! Let's hope for a great next season, if only that trade could go down already (even though I am really sorry to see Steve and Cuttino go, I will follow their future teams, whichever this might be) .
Oh......he was a coach? I thought he was in charge of holding clipboards........fooled the hell out of me....
Houston Ties mean nothing to the Rockets remember the 1st thing they tried to do when les took over was get rid of Calvin Murphy Rocket River
Yao's being coached by one of the game's top 10 centers? Gee, let's get rid of that guy! God knows we know better than he what Yao should work on!
