[Chron]: Hakeem Olajuwon is conducting his first Big Man Camp

Can anyone figure out a halfway place for them to meet between Hou and China? Just joking.

I think if Dream is going to be in Hou regularly and that he and Yao will get together at some point.

Judging from comments about his english (especially the assinigned remarks by Kenny and Chuck on TNT draft night, I watched that the other night and laughed my butt off-Boy were they wrong-Caron Butler,Jayson Williams huh guys). This may have made Dream decide that in time he would communicate better with Yao.

I can guarantee Yao will take Dreams comments about "owning the paint" and make the game "adjust to you" to heart...and like a few guys said maybe this will force JVG to allow him to guard the paint instead of chasing guards in the future. However that is only if Yao stays out of foul trouble and learns to change shots with his presence more than his body.

Dream would love to cultivate an ability to teach more I'm sure, whether that be basketball or religion, both will exemplify his new phase in life.

He wants to give and Yao doesn't need anyones permission to allow him to learn from Dream. All he needs is time. Believe me of all people Dream understands doing the honorable thing, which Yao is doing. If you can remember Dream was elated when he was given the chance to represent the US in the olympics.

I believe the reason why Dream would love to help Yao is not about the rockets as much as it is about helping an eager young man with great character. That to me will be the reason in the future these guys will cultivate a relationship.

Dream will have the time and patience and so will Yao. Lets just sit back and enjoy watching this glorious event unfold and not try to force it.

 

Awesome.

 

not only that, Yao is not gonna learn hakeem's attitude because hakeem's attitude is inate. he showed from the day he stepped off the plane and on to the court at UofH.

all that being said, I'm fine with yao's demeanor on the court. Yao has a different attitude, but his can be effective also. he has an inner strength. a steady presence. He continues plod through.

 

Yao needs to forget about the WC and come to the Dream now! I'm kidding but it would be great if Yao hooks up with Hakeem as soon as possible.
I'm beaming with joy to hear that the Dream wants to help Yao.

 

Somewhere in Pacific Ocean? Underwater basketball?

 

That's a great post and agree with a lot of it. I totally agree that Yao will take Hakeem's comments to heart and I agree that Hakeem wants to teach Yao more out of seeing him as a promising young man with a great character who needs to learn to be both a dominant force on the court while still being a gentleman. For Yao to really get something from Hakeem though he really needs to be on the court with him. As Hakeem said in the article a lot of the stuff he teaches is about being reactive and things like that can't be told to someone but has to be felt.

 

I totally agree...good points..

 

I wanna first start by saying love the site, love all of your forum discussions (they get me through my internship everyday) and, most importantly, love the city of Houston. I have gone to school in DFW for the past 4 years and it has made me appreciate my native city of Houston an incredibly great deal.

Now for my first thought after reading all the hype recently about Yao and Hakeem. I am wondering with the main focus for Yao being developing his attitude to be a beast in the lane (physically and mentally), do you think that by him spending his summers every year in China sets him back on a mental level? It is known that the main cause of his 'passive' attitude has been due to growing up in the Chinese basketball culture, and even if he does become more aggresive while in the states, I think that each time he spends his summers playing in China that his country's style of basketball in someways reverts him back to his passive style a little bit.

 

Have you seen Yao in international competition. He plays with a lot more fire and attitude than he does in the states.

Part of it is because we're talking about a short-term tournament instead of an 82 game season. But there's also a pride factor, and the confidence of being the undisputed alpha dog on the team.

He's better served trying to transfer that attitude and confidence to his NBA play than the other way around.

 

No I have never watched him for an extended amount of time (full game or tournament) in international play. Thanks for the other perspective though, was a good point. I think he should already have that attitude of the alpha dog on the Rockets cause there is no doubt this is his squad, much less his lane on any court in any arena. I don't see why he questions himself

 

Maybe Yao should take on some Handball in his spare time instead of so much Warcraft. He'll improve his footwork, dexterity, and agility. Then they can play Warcraft together! Then they can get ice cream!

Unless one of them is lactate-intolerant, in which case the friendship wouldn't work out.

 

have you seen that video CCR made with yao and hakeem? at the beginning there is a clip of yao dribbing so effortlessly and I don't mean just bouncing the ball. He was crossing over, dribbing through his legs, spinning I mean it was the first time I've seen it and I was amazed that he was so agile with the ball. I mean I dont even think hakeem could dribble as fluid as that

 

Oh yeah, Hakeem could crossover, much better than Yao. I remember, during the regular season, one move he made on David Robinson from about 17 feet away. Then he stepped back and popped in a 20 footer like it was nothing. That game, Dream was just feeling it. The crowd just ate it up.

 

Yeah I agree. I think it is weird how underestimated Hakeem is, and always has been. imo, i can't name the best player ever. but I will name the best 5-man dream team ever. magic, mj, baby jesus, dream, and bill.

i don't understand this wilt/jabbar thing.

What does under appreciated, even on this board, is what a 2nd yr Hakeem did to the defending champion Lakers in 1986. He destroyed them. And that Laker's team was one of the 3 best teams of all time. '85 Lakers, '86 Celtics and the fo, fo, fo Moses/Dr J team. Hakeem destroyed one of those teams. Simply amazing.

that said, I think Hakeem is wrong wrt Yao by 2 months. Yao gets it. Apparently Hakeem wasn't watching Yao in the Spring.

 

I'm not sold about Yao getting it because he hasn't played like that with Tmac on the court. What I think Dream is saying is that Yao needs to develope an attitude, that regardless of who is on the court, he is the first and only option until the defenses does something to dictate otherwise.

Yao needs to realize that he is the meat and potatos, and Tmac is only the desert.

 

I understand what Dream was saying.

What my opinion is saying is I think Yao gets it, fully. He proved it to me. TMac on the court or not.

Yao hasn't convinced Dream and you,yet. I think he will this year, with or without Dream's counseling.

 

To me, The Dream is sending a message to the Rockets that if the Rockets will not win the championship, he will step in and be the mentor or teacher for Yao. Ewing buddy, i will start looking for another job elsewhere, cause the guy who dominate the paint during your young life is back in Htown. And his name is Hakeem "The Dream".

 

True....It is so damn irritating to see Patrick Ewing on our bench..WTF does he do? It's ridiculous that him and charlie ward are assistant coaches for the rockets....other teams have people like (avery before he became head coach), eric mussleman, and other young coaches that bring somethign to the table....maybe Van Gundy likes surrounding himself with idiots so nobody will question his every move...

 

I would love to see Jabbar teach Yao his hook shot, and give some advice on how he managed to still play at a high level long after most players his age had retired. I don't see him as a mentor, but as a resource who would have been better than Ewing. Yao obviously "got it," after the break, and it all game together for him. If he plays at the same level this season, and McGrady stays healthy, we'll scare the hell out of people, and make some noise in the playoffs, despite our lack of depth.

As for the '86 Rockets, and Hakeem's play in his second year, I couldn't agree more, as you know. The Lakers were the defending champions, and so heavily favored that our own hack with a typewriter, the Chronicle's Fran Blitheringbury, wrote the Rockets off before they played a game, something he's selectively forgotten since Dream, Ralph, Bobbie Joe Reid, Mitch Wiggens, Lew Lloyd, Rodney, Allen, and Petersen, showed them the door in 5 games. Those not around at the time to see it, and follow the team that season, have no real idea just how over-matched the Rockets were supposed to be. The irony is that, even with Lucas kicked off the team during the season, a huge blow, that Rockets team was the deepest we've ever had, before or since. In my mind, that is unquestioned.

And they had a good coach in Fitch, who had them constantly pushing the ball, playing a running game folks today would find hugely entertaining, to say the least. Had we still had Lucas, we might have beaten that Celtics team, maybe the greatest ever, instead of taking our inexperienced squad and pushing them to 6 games.

Simply amazing. We were crowned the future dynasty of the NBA after that season, and then it all came crashing down, followed by years of an often entertaining trek through the wilderness, until Rudy became coach at just the right time.

 

Agreed...granted, I think Ewing can help, but he is no Hakeem and Yao would be better served with someone other than Ewing...