Yao, "I'm serious. I think Yi will be better than me. Look at his body, look at his jumping ability, both much better than I am. If he can keep improving well, he will one day surpass what I'll achieve." "When I was going to join NBA, people were saying "Yao will be the best center. Yao will change the way basketball is played" something like that, but there was a lot of "if". The same word "if' applies to Yi. If he keeps improving, if he doesn't lose his motivation, if he has the opportunity, if he works hard, he will be better than what I'll be. I hope him succeed." http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2004-07-12/1056992458.shtml Someone correct me please, if anything is lost in translation
UGH!!! YAO! Why doesn't he say: Yi will be good, but nobody will be better than me because I am the most determined player in the NBA. I will one day be one of the greatest centers to ever play the game.
Because he's humble? You shouldn't expect to understand everything Yao says or does. It's difficult enough to understand everything someone who shares your same culture and background says or does but Yao comes from a whole different country with a different set of values and ideals. Or at the very least, a different perspective. That being said, he shouldn't be expected to say the things an American athlete would say.
He hopefully will become a Garnett-like PF. He has the body and athletism, just not the strength yet. It is a scary thought that in 2008 Olympics China could have the best frontline in the world with Yao and Yi.
Another example of how Yao's attitude needs to change before he can truly become a dominant force..makes me frustrated!!
I'm getting too excited, knowing there would be another BIG! According to what Jonas said, ""Yao needs someone to back him up, someone who is explosive under the basket, who could shoot mid-range jumpers,who runs faster than Yao does in defence. Yi has all three of them. Sure Yi's still yound, his skills are still raw, he is still thin, but he has ALL the talents!" The reporter(Yang Yi) also hinted in the article that Yi could jump like Garnett does, he could dunk the ball six times in half a minute! Imaging that on a BIG man! [EDIT] opps, sorry, my bad. It's not a basketball, it's a "solid ball normally used for training, heavier than bball". well, i don't know what it is, thanks to wireonfire.
right now he's rail thin... but make no mistake about it, he's now the second focus of the national team. jonas and harris are both putting special attention on him. this is why i support the outsourcing of coaching. with a traditional chinese coach Yi might have gotten lost in the fold. while a guy like tang zhengdong might have been the next focal point. jonas the lithuanian coach said the reason that Yi is getting the PT is because "yao ming needs three things to complement him in the frontcourt : 1. explosiveness under the basket 2. an accurate mid ranger when you can't cut to the basket 3. transition defense, somebody quick and athletic to get back before yao ming to set up the first line of defense. Yi possesses all three qualities." i think that's apt. and that's exactly what yao needs on the rockets too. Pretty good translation Bob.
Then our PF woes will be gone! Maybe we should tank next season. BTW, the kid is a monster on blocks.
The article says he dunked with a "solid" ball with one hand. Probably something like a medicine ball for training purpose.
Bob didn't point out the ball he used was NOT basketball, rather some kind solid ball normally used for training, heavier than bball, I think. I don't know either how impressive that should be. But Yang Yi exuded praises in the whole article about Yi. It was also mentioned in it that Yao's agent, Eric Zhang, said that some scout said Yi might have made into top 3 if he had entered the draft this year.
