[NBA] Complete transcript of Rockets center's interview with Chinese media

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Yao’s Year

With All-Star 2005 approaching, Rockets center Yao Ming recently held a conference call with the Chinese media. Yao talked about everything from being voted the West's starting center to his plans for the Chinese New Year. Here's a translation of the interview.

Q: This is your third time voted to start at center in the All-Star Game. How do you feel about it? And how are you going to enjoy this year’s All-Star Game?

YAO: "Firstly, I would like to thank all fans, both fans from the U.S. and China, who voted for me. I feel that the All-Star game is more like a party because it’s made up of a lot of elements. However the core of All-Star is still the 48 minute-game and all the fans will pay all attention to the showcase of the players' excellent skills. The result of the game is not much of a concern."

Q: Any unforgettable moments in the previous All-Star games?

YAO: "Shaquille O’Neal going coast-to-coast with some fancy dribbling last year."

Q: What was the most impressive moment for you in the Year of the Monkey?

YAO: "The 2004 Olympics was the most impressive moment for me last year and also I felt very honored to be the flag-bearer for China in the Olympics."

Q: What is your New Year's wish?

YAO: "Our team is doing well at the moment but there are still 33 tough games coming up. I hope that we’ll do well in those games."

Q: How will you celebrate the Chinese New year with your family?

YAO: "We will have something nice for dinner."

Q: Coming off of your strong play lately, do you feel like you've turned a corner?

YAO: "I haven’t been performing to everybody’s expectations and it has been lower than mine too. I have been trying to improve and it’s definitely getting better. I hope to find the key to maintain my performance."

Q: As you know, Rudy Tomjanovich has left Lakers and there are rumors about Phil Jackson’s return to Lakers. What is your view on that?

YAO: "I was very surprised when I first heard about Tomjonovich leaving the Lakers, because he seemed to be doing quite well the last time I met him in Los Angeles. I know he wouldn’t make such a decision unless he had a really big problem. However, I have no idea if Jackson is going to take over the Lakers and I don't want to make any predictions."

Q: Do you have any other favorite sports activities?

YAO: "I like swimming."

Q: Anything else?

YAO: "Isn’t that tiring enough?"

Q: According to recent statistics, your performance appears to be more stable after the game against the Lakers. Is it because you have had better communication with the team since then?

YAO: "I think this is because I have found a more suitable position, and that has enhanced my performance within the team."

Q: It sounds like you’re still recovering from your cold. How do you feel now? Is it affecting your game performance?

YAO: "I feel better today after taking medicine last night. This may affect my performance in games but I’ll just have to live with it."

Q: If the playoffs started today, the Rockets would face the Sonics. From your perspective, which team would you prefer to play against, the Spurs, Suns or Sonics?

YAO: "Well, we still have 33 games left to play this season. We have four games left against the Sonics, who are currently the league’s third-best team, three games against the Suns and two games against the Spurs. These are all tough games and we are just trying to [make sure we get in] the playoffs."

Q: But if you could choose, which team would you want to play against [in the playoffs]?

YAO: "None of them, as they are all tough to beat."

Q: Tracy McGrady was recently named the Player of the Week. Do you think you'll get the award this season?

YAO: "I will try my best to get it. It’s not easy to get it, which is why it’s so attractive."

Q: Bob Sura's averaging 11 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for your team and has emerged as a great all-around player. Can you talk more about his role with the team? How does he help the Rockets?

YAO: "Sura is a very experienced point guard. Although we miss Steve Francis, Sura has made up for the loss. As you mentioned, the fact that Sura can manage to make five assists each game shows he is very good at coordinating."

Q: Coach Van Gundy has been making frequent player rotations for the Rockets. What kind of influence does that have on you?

YAO: "No matter whether you are new or an old team member, you need time to adjust to one another. This is the most frequent player rotations I have had. But from our forms and strategies you can see that our team is definitely doing better."

Q: It looks like you're not playing in the low post as often and your field-goal percentage is decreasing. Can you tell the reasons?

YAO: "It is because of the opponents’ defense -- they always try to pin me in certain positions, which wastes a lot of time for me. I can only tackle it or set a screen for my teammates. My shooting has been getting worse since my elbow injury. It’s partly because of the injury and it also has affected my confidence in shooting. Shooting is a rhythm thing; it takes time to get back into that rhythm."

Q: Anything you would like to say to your fans?

YAO: "I wish all the fans in China a Happy New Year."

Q: Although your scoring average is going up, there are decreases in other areas, such as rebounding. Plus the number of fouls you’re getting are getting higher too. What would you say are the reasons that have caused all this to happen?

YAO: "My increase in scoring is due to the addition of McGrady because he draws away defensive attention and that helps to ease the pressure on me. And on the rebounds part, I think I still need to work on preparing myself to be ready for grabbing the rebound at all times."

Q: We remember that you set a target to get 20 points, 10 rebounds this season. However, when compared to last season, you haven’t had much improvement. Do you think this has something to do with Van Gundy’s strategy?

YAO: "I don't think this has much to do with Van Gundy, because many of his strategies are designed for me. I think this is my own problem. I agree with you that I haven’t seen much improvement this year. Everybody is improving but I am improving slowly, which seemingly widens our distance."

Q: Then what is your target of stat in the rest of this season?

YAO: "I think Phoenix’s Amare Stoudemire makes a very good example of a good center. Stoudemire appeared to be a very good center after the summer. Everyone knows that he never shot from 10 feet away, but now he can shoot from at least 18 feet away. I guess he must have undergone intensive training during the offseason. I think I need that too. I had to attend a lot of games during the summer so I didn't have time for any proper training. But now I have realized that training is very important."

Q: Do you think that China’s basketball development and team management can learn from the NBA?

YAO: "This is more of a question for the management team to answer but I think [the Chinese Basketball Association] is unable to match the NBA’s standards at this moment. Regardless of players or team management, they’ve all gotten used to the current system. So we can’t expect any over-night changes to be made. I know that the CBA has a reform plan and I believe they will take one step at a time."

 

Yao Ming is a talented basketball player and a real man. I am proud he represents 'my' team.

 

This is a crappy question. Yao is ranked 9th in the league in FG% at .531. And only two players (Shaq & Amare) average more PPG AND higher FG%. Yao is also ranked 10th in the NBA in blocks. That means Yao is damn good.

I'm just about ready for people to get off his back about his performance.

-- droxford

 

Yao Ming said he has yet to see his Super Bowl Sunday performance on "The Simpsons," which he taped last summer in Hollywood. "A lot of people told me about it," Yao said. "I asked people how I look: 'Do I look ugly or just like me?' Maybe somebody will say, 'Yeah, pretty ugly, just like you.'"

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune...lsbits,1,3958917.story?coll=cs-home-headlines

 

yes,way to go yao!
Next year you shoulde be a 22/11 guy!