http://www.cnn.com/2003/SPORT/09/05/yaoming/ HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- Since joining the U.S. National Basketball Association last year, the seven foot five (2.2-meter) Yao Ming has become China's tallest ambassador. But that doesn't make it any easier to have the hopes and expectations of a billion people resting on your shoulders. "I don't think he's yet in Shaq's category," NBA Commissioner David Stern says, referring to basketball megastar Shaquille O'Neal. All that the experts will tell you is that given a couple of years, there will be no doubt that Houston made a good choice in selecting him as the first pick of the NBA draft. When the Chinese government agreed to let Yao Ming go to United States and play in the NBA, the Houston Rockets gave him $17 million. They pinned their hopes on his enormous frame, but his first few games in Texas were dismal. Then he settled in, scoring career highs, blocking shots against some of the leagues best. "Rookies don't usually make it as big as he has in his first year," Stern says. Yao grew up in Shanghai with his parents -- both well over six feet tall and former basketball stars in the Chinese national team. "When Yao was young, we did not notice any special talent," his father Yao Zhi Yuan says. "But when he first touched a basketball and really got into serious training, you could almost immediately see he had an instinct." In October, Yao's dreams came true when he was given permission by the government to leave China. But apart from the culture shock, he was under enormous pressure to excel in his game. "When I started playing in the 'A' level games it was kind of like entering a war," he says. It was also to difficult to gain acceptance from his teammates. "The only way to survive is to train very hard, to play very hard. "That's the only way to be accepted by the other team players and the public -- you know, to prove myself." Yao has had to make other sacrifices under the spotlight. "I'm always being watched by other people, and bombarded with questions, especially when I go out, so I don't really have the kind of freedom to just, you know, wander around the streets." With the weight of the NBA and China on his shoulders, Yao is forced to focus on his game. "I think of those pressures or expectations as my support, so when I'm on the basketball court, I just think about playing the game and nothing else. Yao's hero status at home reached new heights after he raised $300,000 to help fight SARS in China. Teased as a child about his height, to many Yao symbolizes China in the 21st century, but Yao is modest about his star status. "I'm just one of the 1.3 billion Chinese," he says, adding that what he is concentrating on now, is keeping ahead of the game. "Competition in the U.S. is just so fierce. And what it does is remind me that I have to work really hard everyday from morning to night."
I watched the interview on CNN "Talk Asia". I don't know who this Chinese-looking lady was that interviewed him, but I didn't think her questions were very original (I don't think Yao did, either). One thing that was not mentioned in the article is that he was asked about his idols and he named Hakeem and Sabonis in terms of skills and Barkley in terms of consistency and persistence.
WOW... lets all 15000+ members of this board go attack the media and make them get of Yao's back... we want a great center but with all these idiots just sorrounding him it makes it impossible not to have pressure on the guy... i mean he cant even go out... thats just sad....
Thanks for the article, windandsea. Will Yao ever get to relax? Do they talk with concern about his schedule, lack of time off and lack of a meaningful break in China? Do the Chinese discuss Yao just getting worn out and having a short career, like we sometimes discuss here? I was curious.
I think there are crazy fans everywhere in the world. I don't call them idiots. Remember someone posted a news here last year about how Yao had caused a riot when he stepped into a burger place in Sacramento, California area? The fans in China might just be more crazy coz Yao is their man.
I think this year he will get a break from the media. The newness is gone, and there's a new story in King James. He should get ready for these two questions: "Do you think Lebron James will dunk on you?" and "What do you think about Kobe's situation?"
no, but I think that he passed gas around three in the afternoon and then decided to wear his baby blue shoes as opposed to the red ones. what I am wondering is what his heart rate was this evening
as far as too many interviews, its not the media's fault, its their job to get interesting personalities to talk to, who is bigger in asian sports right now? if you want to beetch on somebody, its the guys at TEAM YAO, they are the ones calling the shots. i just have a feeling that the folks at tam yao have never played any sports in their lives and have no clue that practicing all day then giving interviews is very tiring, they have no clue that rest means physical and mental.
