As Yao was warming up for his NBA Audition, he was knocking down outside shots from all angles. His first four shots were 18 footers from the baseline, and touched nothing but net. It didn’t take long to realize that this kid has a soft touch and can definitely shoot. Jerry West would later say, “the most impressive part was his shooting touch. Some guys can practice and practice without developing touch.” As mentioned earlier, shooting is one of Yao’s great strengths. His range extended all the way out to NBA threes, and he showed the ability to shoot off the catch as well as off the dribble. For one drill, Yao would grab a rebound off the glass, pass out to the point guard, fill the wing, make the catch on the perimeter, and shoot an 18 footer. Pulling up on the break for an outside shot is not easy for a guard, not to mention a 7'5" center, and Yao converted on about half of these attempts. Yao also demonstrated great consistency from the free throw line, he may have missed 2 out of about 30 free throws. Other strengths for Yao were his ball handling and passing. Under pressure by a defender, Yao dribbled up court utilizing both hands as well as behind-the-back dribbles to change direction. Jerry West was really impressed by Yao’s passing. “He was really sticking his passes,” said West. “He was putting them where you can catch it and shoot it.” West put Yao’s passing skills in the category of a Shaquille O’Neal and Vlade Divac, both coincidentally have worn the laker gold. Overall, there were few surprises. Yao is a skilled shooter, passer, and ballhandler. As is the case with most players from overseas, he needs to work on his strength, defense, and low post game. http://www.nbadraft.net/msimon01.htm Yao needs to go back to what made him successful before. With the NBA basically killing off the low post game with zone defense, Yao needs to go back to his game of old. Focus less on his weaknesses to deemphasize them. This is why I was thinking the Mavericks' zone defense which has worked well with Dirk would work well with Yao.
As much as Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich can make a case that "no one has ever done this" about Yao Ming's unusual adventure, Kings center Vlade Divac comes close. Yao is the first player solely from an international league to be taken in the NBA draft and has drawn rare level of scrutiny, and the curiosity of Divac. "I can relate to what he's going through," Divac, the Lakers' first-round pick out of Yugoslavia in 1989, said. It has been a long time since I came here. But I remember there were a lot of difficulties. "First, the language and then the system. And not just international guys, but you see in a lot of rookies, they are not consistent. And his game is the same way. But he's going to be a great player." Divac said Yao's success early in his career could depend on his teammates. "For him, I think it's very important how (the Rockets) adopt him," Divac said. "I was lucky. The whole Lakers organization helped me a lot. "Hopefully, the Rockets are doing the same for him." http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/rox/1684597 I think Yao was searching for a place of comfort, and it's my opinion that he found it with Rudy and Steve. Then pieces of the wall around him began to break off and fall beginning with Rudy's firing. I think he will search for that comfort again when his rookie contract expires whether or not he finds it with the Rockets or with another team. I actually think Vlade Divac would have been the perfect player to bring Yao under his wing. Vlade: you'll love LA. Chinese women here are much better looking Yao: how is Rudy? Vlade: he's great. you'll love it here, and I can teach you all the tricks to play well in this league against the black guys Yao: so Chinese women are better looking, and I get to play for Rudy instead of the little dictator? Vlade: yeah Yao: how can I get the Rockets to trade me? Vlade: say something bad about Jews or something. I think that will make the Rockets' owner mad. Yao: you the man
That is the problem with alot of the fans on this site, it's all about what is best for Yao and not for the team. Last year, trading for McGrady was what was best for YAO not the team. However, it hasn't improved either so far.
I felt that McGrady was a taller version of Steve Francis. That's not to say TMac isn't better than Francis. They both excel at driving to the basket. However, they are not marksmen. If the Rockets truly wanted to have an offense centered around the low post offense, they would have brought in a deadeye marksman like Ray Allen. Since TMac is on the team, Yao cannot just stay in the paint all the time. He definitely needs to be utilized more in the high post. I don't see JVG doing this. Ewing did squat in the high post, so JVG will not incorporate any offense he is not familiar with.
Bench Yao Ming. I dun care, do whatever it takes to wake his ass up and think of this as his personal Olympics. Bench Yao Ming [/QUOTE] Bench Yao Ming? Yao Ming can't get off the bench enough for the refs getting him into foul trouble every freak'n game with what the h#$# fouls. I wouldn't be able to get into a rythme either with the rediculous calls he's getting and can't get. You know Yao Ming is trying to learn the NBA and it's rules. I wouldn't be suprised if Yao was confused as h#@& as to what's a foul and what isn't and what really are the rules. I'm getting tired as *#&$ seeing a small gaurd dribbling 20 feet and right into Yao Ming no place to go and get a foul called and it happens almost every night. A short gaurd is not going to get it over Yao (7 feet) is he? Give me a break. Where is the gaurd going honestly? And the refs rewarded the gaurd nearly everytime for an unwise play to began with. Bring out the vhs and review the tapes and so on. It's happened in almost every game. I don't pay money to see the refs blow the whistle. I don't say hey honey let's get some tickets to see the Rockets, I wan't to go see the refs blow the whistle on bogous, questionable fouls and get Yao in foul trouble. Most of the time his hands are straight up in the air. If Yao reaches out and fouls I have no problem with a foul. If he clearly jumped in the front of the player to stop the players progress I have no problem. When a gaurd drives from the top of the key into the paint right into Yao's shadow right into Yao body 9 out of 10 the gaurd initiated the contact. Quit calling it the wrong way everytime. I'm seeing Van Gundy and the coaching staffs complaint. And the calls are beginning to get to blatent to frequent. I don't want favorable calls for Christmas, just want them both ways, which ever way it's going to be called. (Did Carmelo Anthony sprain his foot before or while he kicked Bob Sura in the face?) I saw a reach swipe over Kmart... A foul called.... no problem it was a reach over, it was a foul I agree. I saw 2 on the Rockets end and you couldn't buy a foul. Foul call on Jim Jackson was all ball, watch the tape, go figure, I'm out........
You're talking about Yao, not Jordan. Yao is garbage so if he wants to go then he can get the hell out of Houston for all I care.
I wa one time a big Yao Ming fan and probably still am (back then naive BBSers called YOF - laughable) but I continue to love my Rox over any player. That is why without shame I can state that I am beggining to finally accept that Yao is the biggest problem we have now (last year Francis and Mobs but that is a different topic ). We can only go as far as Yao can product because he is the X-factor. I still say we do something medically about his ultimately biggest problem - his stamina. If his stamina now is all we can get from him for the rest of his career, then moving him might not be a bad idea. At this moment he is just a rich man's Rik Smiths [sp?] but his hype is probably high enough for us to get something noteworthy in return. The big down side of trading Yao is that we might be running afoul of tmac and the reason he chose to come here. It is unfortunate and sad but Yao why our offense has suffered most because we try to compensate for his weakness a whole lot. I trully trully feel bad for tmac now but my oiptimistic side says there is still hope. Bobby Sura returning will help ease us into a few more wins in December but I will be happier just to get a consistent 18-9 every night from Yao.
Wrong. Only Bobby Sura can be the X factor. Yao was a Rocket last year. Bobby Sura is new. So his impact is the X F ctor.
What is the meaning of x-factor? Or what do you understand by that term? For me I can say I know what Sura will give to us on a nightly bases - that to me is the sure-factor. As for Yao, I am not sure I know what to expect anymore. That makes him the x-factor in my books. At least that is what I understand x-factor to be - the unknown factor or entity.
That's funny!! Yao can go any team he wants to go in the league. You are totally wrong! Please donot imagine too much nonexistent things which is just your thought, not actual
Actually he's not wrong. All Yao or any player in the league has to do is sign the 1 year tender offer and after that year they can go wherever they want.
The fact that the Rokets are 6-9 and are going to miss the playoffs as long as he is the focal point of the offense.
Sura has played only 1 game with the Rockets. Yao, 3 seasons. We know what to expect from Yao. We have no idea how Sura will play with us. Plus I started a thread labeling Sura as the Xfactor. So I claim that title!
Seriously, are you getting mixed up with the Texans? The last time I checked the NBA season is 82 games long.
As ridiculous as it sounds, the best thing for Yao would have been to give Francis/Mobley away for nothing and let Yao play by himself with a bunch of garbage players for a couple years. The only way you're gonna get Yao to play aggressively or show leadership is if you absolutely force it down his throat. But now, with TMac, he knows he can put it into cruise control and watch him takeover. So, that's exactly what he's doing.
This is what I have been wondering for quite a while as well. I recall how ineffective Dream almost always was against the Sonics' defense (and in the process made a multi-millionaire out of Jim McIlvaine). Would Dream be as effective today against the full-fledged zone/fronting defense? If not, is it realistic to expect Yao to be? I'm not sure what Dream's stats were, but I just recall every one of his outing against the Sonics that I saw to be a teeth-gnawing affair.
A few people here wanted Yao to be agressive, some wanted him to play like Dream. Well, if Yao plays somewhat agressive, NBA refs promtply send him to the bench, he'll end up the night with stats something like this: 24min, 8pts, 4rebs............ We have all seen this before, Yao rountinely gets mugged by players like: Radliff, Grant,Collins, or any others smaller big men, seldom refs will call any fouls on them , yet when Yao barely taps them, it's an automatic foul! Not wanting to rehash same old BS, but where was JVG when all of this is taking place? Has he ever stood up for Yao? Has he ever challenged the refs even if it meant a few ejections? Of course not! When Dream was playing he always has Sampson as a PF, how about Otis Thorpe and last but not least Charles" The Round Mound of Rebounds" Barkley.... you get my drift, a legit NBA starting power forward. Dream also has played with some fine point guards that can pass as well as shoot and defend. I am in no way comparing Yao to Dream, there is only one Dream,but when people asked Yao to play a certain way, to be like a certain player, just put yourself in his shoes for a few seconds!
