http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2009-06-02/08454411480.shtml I assume these came from recent interviews in China. Highlights: 1. He believes the team established their own style this year: putting pressure on the opposing team for 48 minutes, building an advantage in the first 3 qtrs, so that by the last 5 minutes, the opponent is ready to give up. He doesn't believe the Rockets are the type of team that relies on the last minutes to win the game. The basis of style is defense, making the opponents feel like they can't make baskets no matter what and playing a game of attrition until the end, when the team wins by being more determined. He believes the 1st Lakers game shows what kind of team they were. He also thought the Lakers were expecting an easier game and were suprised. 2. He believes the "leaders" of the Rockets are a small group consisting of himself, Battier and Scola, but mostly Battier and himself. Neither of them are the type of player who can determine the outcome of the game with one shot, but both of them will always be there for the team, make sure Artest doesn't get too emotional. When Artest plays well, the team functions well. 3. He got angry at the team after the 1st loss to the Lakers in the regular season, not just because of one bad game, but the general state of the team. He told the team that "We always said tomorrow is a new day, but unless we figure out what we do to fix things, there is no tomorrow." Things didn't immediately change at that point, but Battier, Artest and Barry came to talk to him individually, and they start forming a group. He can't say he caused the formation of the group, seems least everybody was thinking the same thing, otherwise, whatever he said would have been useless. 4. He was feeling really down after the injury last season. Not so this year. He felt that he completed the goal (getting out of 1st round) and is comfortable with their accomplshments.
Good effort. Just want to point out that when Yao said about the leaders of this Rockets team and mentioned they will always be there for the team, he was referring to Battier, Scola and himself.
You can read Chinese? Thanks for the summary. I would put it differently. The Rockets weren't the type of team that could be successful relying on the last minutes to win the game, because they were pretty awful in those situations overall. Hopefully he has bigger goals next year than just getting out of the first round.
His goal and satisfaction for next year: get out of second round. With that pace we should reach the FINAL in 3 years.
Thanks for the post. Good to hear that Yao is publicly claiming to be a leader of this team with Battier. I can't think of two more level-headed/sane/intelligent players that I would prefer over them. The comment about not feeling so bad after the playoff injury...not so happy about that. I suppose it is big news that they got out of the 1st round, and I'm sure had Yao not gone down with the injury, the Rockets would have been hungrier for more success. I like that he established the fact that we are a team of hard workers. The team having an identity will for sure drive them to do more.
he should be looking much more for himself and this team, look at Howard. people always great centers win championships, Yao has to prove that.
I'm from china, I'm glad to participate this forum, I'll show you more views about what chinese evaluate the Rocket and players from now on. The above highlights are quite right, Yao consider the leader of a team is not determined by anyone's speech, but depends what he devote for this team, if he makes his best efforts to bring this team to a higher level, the leader is natual. We all hope Roket will go much further next year.
This is what Yao said in the public interview today. I don't want to fight for leader purposely, but do my best to fight for every rebound,to fight for every victory. meanwhile, I'm not never caring about,and also it is impossible not to care about the leader. but it is natural if you do so.
Is Yao being a "leader" of the Rockets an important topic over there? Daryl Morey was asked if Yao is a leader on the team some months ago by a Chinese interview, and for whatever reason he didn't give a straight answer. My impression was that Battier, maybe Dikembe, were more the leaders of this team. And Rafer, when he was here.
I think Yao is already the leader of this team when you ask his trammates about this question. At least he is the leader on the side of the offense. When we interview the rox players, they always say, if we can get Yao the ball, if Yao were on the right way, if.... then we are a farily strong team, and we could win a lot games. In the first 3 seasons or so, McGrady was the leader of this team. As I remember, if it is right, do you still remember the injury happened with Yao in 2006 against L.A Clippers. When yao returned, from that time, I think he is already the leader of this team. However, since yao's characteristic, he is not very good at caliming everthing in his team. That's why we think he is not the leader on mind in this team. In a word, At least he is the leader on offence as I see !! P.S I am also a Chinese!(it seems like I said sometimes already)
He's a leader in that he's the focal point of our offense. He's our best player. And when he plays well, the Rockets as a team usually play well. There are other elements to leadership as well. Does he inspire confidence in his teammates? Does he correct them when they make mistakes? Is he a communicator?
The leader sets the tone. The leader is naturally respected. Yao is both, but without like minded teammates this is lost. This team has been assembled with 'character' guys (which led to Yao and Scola being concerned when Artest was added last summer. But they all, Artest included, made that part work). I love Yao's game, and what he brings to every game. But I believe that he is a more complete man than 'just' a terrific basketball player. I am pleased he represnts the team I have supported for over a 1/4 century. I am curious how Yi is perceived. He seems to have a good game, but can't seem to mesh with his teams or succeed commensurate with his apparent talent. Is he just young? Or is he one of those players who will just not ever break through?
I think Yi is perceived (and probably rightly so) as less mature and less well-rounded kind of guy than Yao is. Yao is well-liked and well-respected by everybody around him because of his personality. Yi may have the talent but not the personality.
I think Yao's assessment of our identity was more forced upon us than it was us ESTABLISHING it. We simply could NOT finish games, therefore we HAD to be a team that forced the issue the other 43 minutes. It might very well be a chicken and egg type situation, but it's not something that the Rockets decided to implement themselves. As far as Yao being a leader, I think there are two different types of leaders in play on this Rockets team. There are the physical leaders (those who lead by their play on the court), and there are emotional leaders (those who rally the troops in the locker room and get everybody focused). I think it's faily obvious that Yao is a physical leader.......you know each and every night, he is going to give his all to try and win the game. He might not be loud, or wear his emotions on his sleeve, but you can see the passion in his play. Yao, Scola, and Artest all seem like they are physical leaders. To me, it seems like the emotional leaders on this team are guys like Barry, Battier, and Mutombo. In the locker room, they are the stabilizing force, and they are the ones who speak for the team when the team needs a voice.
Yao has done well for Rockets this year as first round is not stopping him anymore. It is time for him to comit to China and play for his people now.
In my opinion, Yao is the unquestionable franchise and leader in the team. I am sold when I saw the hunger and fire from him, when he's trying to push away the trainer and go back in the game after his knee sprain with Kobe. He's fighting the trainer to go back in. After he got back on the court, he triggered a run by nailing some shots and you could feel the electric feel on the court, it's definitely a momentum shifter. Yao's action inspire his team mate to be better and they won. To me, true leadership is not something you talk about all the time, like "it's on me". It's about doing every little thing possible, to give your all so your team wins.
