http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-china-howard&prov=ap&type=lgns Chinese language no slam dunk for Dwight Howard By STEPHEN WADE, AP Sports Writer June 4, 2007 BEIJING (AP) -- Dwight Howard's slam dunks are spectacular. The same cannot be said for his command of the Chinese language. The Orlando Magic's 6-foot-11 forward huffed and puffed, struggling to get out a few simple Chinese words for local TV stations and reporters covering his weeklong visit to China, which began Monday in Beijing. With coaching from a handful of Chinese journalists, Howard needed eight tries to master: "Wo ai lanqiu," which is Chinese for "I love basketball." "Do it again with more conviction," said Cheong Sau Ching, who heads up the NBA's media office in Beijing. Forced to speed up, Howard stumbled. "Wi-Fi -- oooh, la, la," he said, breaking into a laugh, which drew smiles and applause. To make amends, Howard promised to deliver on the court in 4 1/2 months when the Cleveland Cavaliers play the Orlando Magic in two preseason games in Shanghai and the former Portuguese territory of Macau. A third game will feature the Magic against China's national team in Macau. Howard is in China to promote the games, which are expected to be sellouts. He said all the right things in the Chinese capital, particularly when it came to Yao Ming. Asked to name his top five NBA players, he named Yao Ming twice. And who is his favorite tennis player? "Yao Ming," Howard replied again, pausing for a few seconds for effect, and then substituting Roger Federer's name. "I love Yao Ming," he said. "I love playing against him. We're probably going to be rivals until we retire from the NBA." Howard also talked up 7-foot Chinese forward Yi Jianlian, who's expected to go in the first round of this month's NBA draft. Howard was the first choice overall three years ago, and the two faced each other last year in the World Basketball Championships in Japan. It might happen again for real in next year's Olympics in Beijing. "I think he's going to be one of the best rookies to come out this year in the draft," Howard said. "He's pretty physical, he can shoot, and he's quick for a 7-footer. But coming to America for somebody from China or any other country, his biggest trouble will be off the court -- as far as learning the language and our culture." Particularly the language.
The following is his exclusive interview with sohu.sports. I could not find time now for its full translation..... http://sports.sohu.com/20070604/n250390553.shtml Maybe someone could help it out, where he talked about Yao Ming's game; he sort of admitted Yao Ming is a much polished and all-round low post centre, with great offensive skills, much better on one-on-one, and much stronger than he currently is. The only area that he thought he excelled and is better than Yao Ming is the way he dunked. When told Yao Ming once mentioned that he is a monster on the court, Dwight Howard laughed and said Yao Ming is even a more monstrous beast on the court. He said the only way that he could do against Yao Ming is try to push Yao Ming further away from the paint, from his comfort zone, such that Yao Ming could not score easily; Dwight Howard also said he would have to rely on his speed and nimbleness to run and tire Yao Ming out. But as far as he is concerned, Yao Ming is currently one of the best centres, the tradiitional pure centre of its kind in the league. And he will look up to Yao Ming, and considered him the rival of his life.
