Yao on Malick Badiane, "Just tell him not to try to take my job."

It should be his chinese tattoo.

 

There was a quote in the chronicle the other day mentioning that they want to wait another year. For a very good reason.

When we bring him over and sign him the clock starts ticking and we have two years to see what he's got before he becomes a free agent. They don't want to spend all this time developing him only to have a 24 year old with question marks. They want to have him work in Germany for another year, bring him over and have until age 25 before they decide whether he's worth having around. He's a project, but I've thought from the start that he has the mind and passion to develop into a decent player.

Cheers,
Brock

 

Talking about tatoo, I recalled Kenyon Martin challenged Yao's Chinese literacy when Yao commented his tatoo actually meant "indecisive", which is true.

 

LOL I remember that too. Martin told Yao Ming, 'You should improve your Chinese.' Ignorance produces courage, sometimes.

 

i think yao should get a tatoo. it should be in english too, since chinese letter look cool here maybe english letters look cool over there. j/k

but if he did get a tatoo what kind of tatoo should he get.

 

I watched that game and I think this kid was playing very well. He even put a hook shot over Yao in the game. Maybe after another year he will be able to contribute.

 

I watched the entire USA/Senegal game this morning and although he didn't play great statistically, he definitely impressed me in comparison to the bashing he gets on this forum. Some positives I noticed...

- He is freaking LONG. He actually made Dwight Howard look kinda stubby.
- He showed nice form and touch on his free throws, both of which were made.
- He doesn't have much offense, but is coordinated and did actually attempt to "work the ball" in the post a little bit. I think he could learn.
- At one point late in the game he gathered in a loose ball off of a blocked shot and proceeded to dribble it from inside the USA free throw line all the way down to the other end of the floor for a rather smooth looking layup on one of the American big men (maybe Bosh?). He may have taken an extra step at the very end, but I'll be damned if he didn't look very comfortable flying up the court with the ball.
- He seemed to be playing with passion, which as we know all too well (ex. Stromile) is something that you can't usually teach.

All in all he's probably not ready, but next year could be his time.

 

Against the USA he played 22 min. 6 pts 5 rbs 1 assist. He does seem to be showing some game at FIBA! His Tournament stats show a per 40 min avg of 14 pts and 12 rbs, 1.3 BS.

 

Why not bring him over to practice with the best center in the world?

 

We still need a four/five. I wonder if we're interested in Badiane this year?

 

I saw Badiane play in two games last summer against NYK (Channing Frye) and Milwaukee (Bogut).

He looked stringy, but I suspect that was compounded by his freaky length. Speed in open floor was decent. He very quick but only average speed.

He's a force on defense, blocking and altering shots left and right. I half expected him to start waving his finger.

His offense was comprised mostly of put-backs and dunks, but he put like 18 points on Bogut's head.

Overall, I think he'd look good alongside Yao as a mobile shot-blocker (akin to Eddie Griffin without the wild 3's, guns, and uhh...driving drunk while watching p*rn...).

 

I watched the game and agree with everything you said. I think he will play in the NBA.

 

So again, the question, why not send him to Austin this year on a min contract rather than have him play 20 mpg in Germany behind some 28 yr old stiffs, and coached by some guys who probably can't help him develop that much?

Maybe the 15th spot is meant for Azubuike?

 

see my post above

 

Could it be best case scenario, that he steps into the role of back-up 4/5 when Deke retires?

 

How much do our 13th-15th players actually play in the year? If Badiane could come this year he would have the opportunity to learn from Deke, next year probably not. Since most people think he a has a game similar to Deke's that would be a good thing. Our management has watched him evolve for three years and if they can't tell in another two years whether he is going to amount to anything then we probably need some new people in there. Look at Darko, he languihed on Detroit's bench was traded and came into his own last year with Atlanta and now is tearing up the FIBA games. Seems like Detroit dropped that ball.

 

I remember reading a story from Chron about him a few days ago. If we sign him into the training camp, we have to release his right in two years if we do not give him a contract. Otherwise we can wait until he is 25 to sign him. I think Rockets will leave him in Germany for another year.

 

how about W.M.D.?

 

Malick has been playing professionally for 3 years, when exactly is he going to learn?

 

Big men are learning slower than guards, I guess. Yao played a few years professional BBall in China before he came to Rockets but he still has so much more to learn. Remember he is only 22!