DIME POWER LIST:Yao ranks 6th among all sports professionals

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DIME POWER LIST: Who's got the juice?
Dime Magazine
There are a select few individuals who have the juice to shape how the game is played both on and off the court. The Dime ower List, now in its third year, recognizes the power brokers who have the influence, cash and visibility to make things happen.
Here are the 30 most powerful people in the game, and a few others you need to keep your eye on.

1. David Stern. NBA Commissioner
The Don pulls all the strings on the game we love. And he says he's planning on taking the League global by 2010. At what point does he change his title from Commissioner to "Emperor" Stern?

2. LeBron James. Guard, Cleveland Cavaliers
King James has juice, on the MJ from back-in-the-day level, and his power came to him before he even played a game in the NBA. With well over $100 million in endorsement deals and several ad campaigns backing him, he's a monster marketing force. Kobe's trial means D-Stern is going to direct even more spotlight on LeBron.

3. NBA Players/National Basketball Players Association
NBA players are the highest-paid, most visible, most marketable athletes on the planet. As a collective unit, they can be the most powerful force in the game. NBPA Executive Director Billy Hunter's biggest challenge is presenting a united front during collective bargaining with the League, considering his constituency ranges from journeymen to mega-superstars.

4. George Bodenheimer. President, ESPN
ESPN's foray into broadcasting NBA games last season was solid. With a lock on televised NBA and NCAA games and SportsCenter in its back pocket, ESPN shapes the game's image. It has the power to make players and teams popular; telecasts and SportsCenter are a marketing tool for the NBA. Remember "Vinsanity?" The overwhelming hype around White Chocolate? Just two examples of ESPN's ability to help make players stars through coverage and hype.

5. Phil Knight. Founder, CEO, President and Chairman of Nike, Inc.
Nike is still the big dog on the block, and it made a huge investment/risk when it partnered with LeBron this summer; $100 million-plus is a lot to let ride on a rook. We'll see if it pays off.

6. Yao Ming, Center, Houston Rockets
1.3 billion Chinese can't be wrong -- and they love their Yao. International TV ratings are measured in hundreds of millions viewers when Yao's Rockets are televised in China. He is arguably the most recognizable athlete on the planet and he cashed in this summer, signing an endorsement deal with Reebok. Very few players can change the whole landscape of the game, and Yao is one of those guys. Traditionally, big men don't move product, but Ming will blow that theory away.

7. Paul Fireman. President/CEO, Reebok
Fireman and his crew have put together what is arguably the best young stable of talent in the NBA, including the huge move of signing Yao. More moves this past summer (nabbing Sonny Vacarro and grassroots basketball guru Chris Rivers from adidas) will make Reebok one of the major players in the high school and AAU worlds. Reebok is also the official outfitter of the NBA and the EBC at Rucker Park, the heart of playground basketball.

8. Aaron Goodwin. Agent
As LeBron James' agent, Goodwin has control over the biggest thing in the game right now. As we've already seen, in endorsement deals alone, LeBron's worth well over $100 million. And if he represents on the court? There's no telling how his value could skyrocket. One of the most powerful weapons at Goodwin's disposal is his seemingly air-tight relationship with LeBron and his family. James seemingly doesn't make a move without Aaron's blessing.

9. Adam Silver. President of NBA Entertainment
Adam Silver and the rest of the NBA's marketing arm make NBA players the most visible athletes in the world.

10. SFX Sports Group ? Arn Tellem, Rob Pelinka, etc.
Sports' largest athlete representation agency loses some clout with the dissipation of MJ's power (he's a client), but they still rep 15 percent of the NBA's players, including Kobe, T-Mac, Jermaine O'Neal and Antoine Walker, just to name a few.

11. Brett "Bear" Bearup. President, CSI Capital
We're still the only media outlet that consistently recognizes Bear's status as one of the game's most powerful behind-the-scenes players. He advises the top high school players on which colleges to attend and when they should leave for the draft. Once they're in the League, they often sign on with Bear to be their financial advisor. Even the most high profile college coaches bend over backwards to get on Bear's good side to benefit from his talent pipeline. Some of CSI's clients include Mike Miller, Kwame Brown and Tim Duncan.

12. Kevin Wulff. Director of Sports Marketing, adidas America
Almost on the downlow, adidas has locked up three NBA first-teamers to endorsement deals. T-Mac and KG are both signed to lifetime deals, and last spring adidas added Tim Duncan to its roster. The company's presence in the AAU/High School scene took a hit when it lost Sonny Vacarro and grassroots guru Chris Rivers to Reebok over the summer, but it will take time for the effects of those losses to show.

13. Mark Cuban. Owner, Dallas Mavericks
Not afraid to spend money, not afraid to take chances, not afraid to speak his mind; Mark Cuban is the most dynamic owner in sports. Cuban is a player in almost every free agent bidding war and seemingly almost every major trade in the NBA. His willingness to shell out huge amounts of money ? luxury tax be damned - in order to improve his team is driving prices up League-wide. Since Cuban purchased the Mavs in 2000, the team's payroll has gone from 22nd highest in the NBA at $39.7 million to 3rd highest at $72.1 million (behind only the Knicks and the Trailblazers).

14. Allen Iverson. Guard, Philadelphia 76ers
A.I.'s getting older. It's hard to believe he's 28. Still, Iverson, more than any other player in the League, appeals to fans under 30. He has mad game and mad street cred all at once. He's currently #2 in jersey sales (behind Kobe Bryant), and The Answer is still the League's most marketable player to younger fans.

15. Rick Mina. President and CEO, Foot Locker, Inc.
With more than 3,600 stores worldwide (including the Champs chain), all filled with the latest kicks and gear, Foot Locker clothes the basketball culture. There are about 1,400 Foot Locker stores in the U.S. alone.

16. Michael Jordan. The G.O.A.T.
No. 16 might even be too kind for No. 23. For so long, the only figure wielding more power than MJ was David Stern. But Mike's comeback as a player was less than stellar. As an executive, he was fired by Abe Pollin at the beginning of the summer, leaving him with no foothold in the NBA. He wants to buy a franchise, and Stern wants him back in the NBA in some capacity, but until it happens, the G.O.A.T.'s days as a power player are fading fast. Brand Jordan is still successful, and no player has come close to creating anything like that using his likeness. The bottom line is that no matter what, Mike can still attract attention and generate dollars wherever he goes.

17. Phil Jackson. Coach, Los Angeles Lakers
Despite not defending his title last season, Phil is still at the top of the coaching game and could have any position in any organization he wants. His nine NBA coaching championships have secured his place in basketball history, but how he manages the ego-loaded Lakers while dealing with the Kobe circus will be his biggest test. If he somehow comes out of this season with another championship ring, Jax could run for president.

18. Jeff Kessler. Attorney
As the legal representative for the Players Association, Kessler is Billy Hunter's right-hand man. When it comes time to negotiate for the collective bargaining agreement, Kessler's sitting right across the table locking horns with Stern's team. At the end of the season, NBA owners have the option to extend the current deal for one more tear ? a move they will most likely make.

19. Sonny Vacarro. TBD, Reebok
Now we'll see how powerful Sonny really is. His AAU/summer ties run deeper than anyone's, but now he's been entrusted with the task of making Reebok, a company with no real presence in the high school world at all, a player on the summer scene. Where does he start? Sonny owns the rights to the summer's phattest events ? the Big Time in Vegas, the Roundball Classic and the ABCD Camp.

20. Jimmy Smith. Writer/Executive Producer, Wieden + Kennedy
The ad agency that has kept Nike Basketball's image constantly changing ahead of the curve is still going strong, creating the image of basketball cool for an entire culture. Jimmy's creations for Nike include "NYC" (Pee Wee Kirkland, Earl "The Goat" Manigault, Joe Hammond), "Freestyle," and the "Big Bang" campaign that featured Dr. Funk (a.k.a., Vince Carter), Bootsy Collins and Snoop Dogg.

21. Tracy McGrady. Guard, Orlando Magic
The NBA is hard-pressed to find a player who appeals to the masses and won't do anything that will embarrass the League. Enter T-Mac. Absurdly talented, charismatic and more of a homebody than the majority of NBA players, McGrady's the logical choice for the NBA. adidas has allotted millions of dollars to marketing McGrady and his expanded signature "T-Mac" shoe and apparel line.

22. Mike Krzyzewski. Coach, Duke University
Even as the talent pool in the college game continues to dry up and scandal after scandal rocks the NCAA, Coach K's star still shines. He has created a dynasty and in the recruiting game, there's Duke and then there's everyone else. If he ever decides to leave Duke, he can have practically any job in the NCAA or NBA he wants.

23. R.C. Buford. GM, San Antonio Spurs
The NBA is changing and unlike most of the old guard, R.C. "gets it." After building a supporting cast around Tim Duncan that brought San Antonio a championship, Buford gutted a large portion of his team and replaced the aging vets with younger, more athletic legs. Understanding that the League is constantly getting younger, Buford has assembled a brain trust of young, sharp minds in the Spurs front office. Buford himself is the oldest at 43. The youngest is his director of player personnel, Sam Presti, who clocks in at a Theo Epstein-ish 26.

24. Bill Duffy. President, BDA Sports Management
A newcomer to our list last year, Duffy earned a spot again this year. For the past few seasons, Duffy and his agency have nabbed some of the League's top draft picks. From this year's draft, No. 2 pick Carmelo Anthony and No. 17 pick Zarko Karbarkharpa are both clients. He's also a member of "Team Yao" and oversees the center's U.S. marketing opportunities.

25. Shaquille O'Neal. Center, Los Angeles Lakers
When the Daddy speaks, everyone listens. Despite coming off a comparatively down season for the Diesel (due to injuries and being out of game shape), Shaq is still the most dominant player, and personality, in the basketball world. His endorsement portfolio is virtually unmatched, with names like Nestle, Burger King and Radio Shack using him to pitch product. In the preseason, O'Neal has been vocal over his desire for a contract extension from the Lakers. He's in the first year of his last three-year extension (and the first year he can sign another one). Who knows how much noise he'll make if the Lakers drag their feet in re-signing him. If Jerry Buss and Co. don't give him what he wants, every team in the League will be lined up for his services.

26. Maurizio Gherardini. GM, Benetton Travisio
Sit in Maurizo's office for any length of time and his phone will constantly ring. David Stern, Jerry West and almost every other GM, owner and scout have Gherardini on speed dial. The brightest basketball mind across the ocean, Maurizio's take on a Euro talent can make or break a prospect.

27. Myles Brand. Executive Director, NCAA
The talent in the college game may be waning, but revenue through ticket and merchandise sales, television rights and the cash monster that is March Madness is still strong.

28. Seth Berger. CEO, AND 1
The Philly-based sneaker company has taken streetball to the next level. The AND 1 Mix Tape Tour has gone from a few games being played on playgrounds in Philly and New York to a 33-city tour with games played in major arenas in the U.S. and Europe and an accompanying reality show on ESPN. Mix Tape players like Hot Sauce and AO have become household names. At the same time, the brand has exploded overseas and is seemingly everywhere in Europe.

29. Peter Vecsey. Columnist, New York Post
NBA players, scouts and GMs scour newspapers and the internet for the latest dirt on NBA rumors, trades and signings. Vecsey's rumor-laden "Hoop Du Jour" column in the Post leads a growing list of legit sources for basketball news. Vecsey, more than any other writer or web site, has established himself as the top information source in the NBA.

30. J.M. Robinson. Chairman of the Board, CEO and President, Footstar, Inc.
Footstar operates 438 Footaction stores and almost 100 Just for Feet outlets in the U.S. The Footaction chain offers a full line of kicks, of course, but it also boasts a wider selection of off-court apparel than many of its competitors.

Ones to watch
Maurice Clarett
What's an NFL prospect doing on this list? The outcome of his case against the NFL could have an impact on high school players jumping straight to the NBA. If Clarett loses, and an age limit for incoming prospects is instituted in the NFL, the NBA wouldn't be far behind in its attempt to do the same.

Mark Shapiro. Executive VP, Programming and Production, ESPN
Shapiro is the driving force behind ESPN Original Entertainment, the network's effort to merge sports and entertainment. Through projects like "Streetball" and "Playmakers," Shapiro is helping to move sports programming to a new level, incorporating the athlete lifestyle into the mainstream media.

Kobe Bryant. Guard, Los Angeles Lakers
In any other year, Kobe would be a lock to claim a spot on the power list. Heading into the summer with a handful of major endorsement deals to his name (including a brand new multi-million deal from Nike), Kobe was easily one of the most powerful figures in the game. The ugliness of this summer's alleged incident has cost him dearly, as companies have decided to disassociate themselves from Kobe at least until this mess works itself out. Kobe's status as a power broker is in a holding pattern.

Does Yao deserve the 6th place? What do you think