So, what year do you think Yao really earned the right to be an All Star? The first year is questionable, because he was a rookie and he wasn't putting up All Star numbers. But after the first year, when do you think Yao Ming deserved to make the All Star game, based on his merit, and not the votes from Chinese fans?
He deserved all of them. He was either #1 or the #2 center in the west in every year he's played, unless you start counting PFs like Duncan as centers. Although I believe in one year he was injured the first half, so you may consider that unworthy. But he was still the best in terms of ability.
The votes from Chinese fans were still votes,you must respect it. Yeah,Chinese fans voted for Yao,but they also voted for other allstars, do you have the same doubt for those allstars?
Yao isn't getting a crazy number of votes now. Why is this Chinese fans thing still circulating? Chinese fans log on NBA website and vote for Yao and OTHER players.
What's wrong with fans in houston? They don't go to the games and, as suggested by many fans here, they don't vote enough for their franchise player. Annually, that freaking tall franchise player has to get help from his Chinese countrymen who have to swarm the NBA website (which is written in English). If that is true, Yao doesn't really owe Houston anything.
I was browsing the youtube and watched the Barkley-Donkey intimacy again. It is really a slap on Charles's face: Yao got his first 20-pt game just a week after Sir Charles' bet with Kenny. The more amazing part is that Yao went perfect 9-9 2-2 in that game against Lakers. That was only 2 fgs shy of Houston franchise perfection record at that time. How could Sir Charles be way way off like that?
Yes, they do. For guys like Shane Battier, Rafer Alston, Luis Scola, Tracy McGrady and others who shouldn't even come close to being all-stars.
yao deserves it he puts up numbers its not likehe averages shawn bradley numbers and gets voted in by china,come on now.. if that was the case yi would start over in the east...
Ah, some things always remain the same. This time of year, we always get the Chinese fan vote myth. It's been demonstrated EVERY single year to be false. Myth = 3 billion Chinese citizens = they all vote for Yao. If you take all the Internet votes out, Yao would still be an All-Star starter. So in case you are slow, that means only counting handwritten ballets (ie filled out be Americans and few Canadians). I also remember reading that Yao isn't even the most popular NBA player, anyway. They regard his a slow and not very exciting plus he hasn't reached his potential. ...not unlike opinions by Americans. Maybe the Chinese fans are capable of distinguishing talent too.
Since his 2nd or 3rd year, Yao has always been in the top three centers of the NBA. He is most certainly an all star center.
Not his first year, and I think there was another year where he missed like half of the first half because of an injury. Other than that, he definitely deserved it.
he has deserved all of his all star appearances because he got the most votes. people always act as if the all star team is like the nba first team. one is a popularity contest for the fans the other one is a popularity contest for the media. the bottom line is that there is no objective best player or best team determined.
you pay tax to IRS so you have the right to elect the US president ... the chinese fans are paying $$$$$$ to the NBA but you have problems with them voicing out which NBA play they like?
Every single frigging year, some so-called Rockets fans are so pissed off that Rockets players especially that tall Chinese dude is in the FAN-VOTING-EVENT-ALL-STAR game. More fans voted him than your "deserving player" in your mind. Either accept the rule and be a part of the game, or quit the game. Don't be a cry baby every single frigging year, AFTER the result and cry for foul. Don't pretend it's fine if you do this in the name of "Rockets fan". It actually made it even worse, and it reflects your true color and character. As a Rockets fan since early 90's, I am not pi$$ed that worldwide fans like our players; I won't be acting insulted that Hayes receives a shoe contract from Chinese company. If you can't stand Chinese fans voting with their own wills, work harder and try to become a dictator commissioner and ban Chinese fans from NBA forever. Grow up and get over with it. Speaking of deserving, do you deserve to be called a Rockets fan?
is it really necessary to revisit this old subject? personally i think he deserves all of them because fans voted for him. the system has been fan voting all the time. you can't say all of the sudden it's not valid any more because a chinese 7'6 man is in it and some don't like it. fans voted for you, you deserve it. simple as that. it doesn't make a difference if you're a 20/10 player or 10/5 or if the votes coming from american or international fans. (p.s. - maybe talks about who deserved those all-nba team selections will be more fun.)
I don't agree with that principle that if fans voted you in, then you should be there. Being voted in as an all-star is supposed to be an honor. That implies it is merit-based. Maybe "deserving" is the wrong word. What the OP is really getting at is whether a player is worthy of being an all-star. If some schmuck gets voted into a political office, I guess we could say he "deserved" it because he was voted in through legitimate means, via the established political process. But, at the same time, we could still question whether he is worthy of the position.
