1. Deke is more focused on defense 2. Yao is too nice. Yao should swing those elbows like Deke does 3. Yao is too nice a lot of times he boxed out let his teammate get the rebound if both of them going for it 4. Yao is not particularly quick off the floor when jumping for rebound That being said, Yao probably is getting whole lot better in rebounding department, and defensively in general.
The answer is simple, when you're out to do one thing and one thing only, it tends to be easier. That's mutombo's only job. Yao has to play offense at which he is already outrageously overworked esp considering his size. If Yao's only job is to rebound and clog up the lane, then I am almost certain that he can average at least 12-13 a game.
mutumbo is like sixty years old. its not athleticism. it is however stronger larger hands because yao actually can get to alot of balls. grabbing them is another story.
Mutumbo is more agile and quicker and still very big, thus giving him an edge when it comes to boxing out and rebounding Yao is taller, but since he is slower it is easier for a smaller man to box him out and to steal the rebound. But Yao>>>Mutumbo when it comes to who is more important to the Rockets thus, by transitive property: Go Yao #11
While Yao has improved in this area, Mutombo's timing is ridiculously good for a 7 footer. The guy knows when and where to jump, whether its for a rebound or a blocked shot. Plus, if you had Yao and Deke face each other and both raise their arms, I bet Deke has at least 4" more reach than Yao does. The dude's got long arms. Fundamentally also, he protects the ball better. After snaring a rebound, he knows how to use his body and his elbows to keep it from getting stripped, while Yao is still a bit suspect on this, bringing the ball straight up and down.
Dear god. Obviously, none of you actually play much basketball, do you? Yao doesn't pile up rebounds because of his position on the floor at the time of the shot. Offensively, he's usually the one taking the shot, which dramatically decreases your effectiveness as a potential rebounder for that particular shot. Defenisively, he's often defending the shooter, especially when the other team's agenda is to try and get Yao in foul trouble via driving right at him. In both cases (Off and Def) Yao's position at the time of the shot often diminishes his ability to grab the rebound. The same hold true for everyone. Watch Mutombo's position at the time of the shot (yes, he's usually defending shots as well, but Deke attakcs a block at the rim).
There are lots of great rebounders (13RPG type season) who were also excellent if not great to offensive players (Hakeem, Barkley, Shaq, Ewing, Mo and Karl Malone, Zo, Duncan), some of them even with perimeter oriented games (DR, KG). So it isn't like you can't have a perimeter game or be focal in an offense and be a great rebounder. Barkley also had really short hands, that isn't it either. I think the most obvious commonality is Yao isn't as quick as any of these guys in their prime. Yao I don't think has hand and feet quickness of Deke either. Of the secondary factors, I think aggressiveness/meanstreak is there, but also probably overblown relative to just a simple matter of quickness. Mark Eaton's (great defensive and strong 7 4 guy) high season was 11. Z has never broken 9 RPG. Dampier has broken 9 RPG once. Shaq has been averaging less than 11 since his 01 season (about the time his blocks fell off too-basically since he lost most of his quickness and gets by through strength and girth). In short, Yao is an excellent rebounder and shot blocker relative to his foot and hand speed. I hope he learns what he can from Deke on shotblocking and rebounding, but he doesn't have Deke's phenom natural talents in this regard. Deke isn't getting into the Hall of Fame based on his offense, which at its best wasn't close to where Yao's is now.
are you kidding me? there have been lots of players who were great offensively and could rebound as well.. Yao just can't rebound but I'm fine with that as long as he's throwing 25 ppg I thought last year he much better at getting position and such
