BEIJING -- The NBA's No. 1 draft pick said Thursday he's looking forward to battling with the best in the league -- even if he has to adjust to American food along the way. A day after making basketball history, 7-foot-5 Yao Ming worked out with the Chinese national team and pledged one day to best Shaquille O'Neal. "He is a mountain in my way,'' Yao said, referring to the Los Angeles Lakers' own 7-foot star. "I will try to conquer it by all means. "My first tries may turn out to be failures, but I will continue with others.'' Yao was selected by the Houston Rockets as the league's top draft pick in New York on Wednesday night. He was the first foreign-born player who had not played American college ball to be picked No. 1. "It's a big day. It's a new beginning for me,'' the 22-year-old Yao said following practice at the China Basketball Association's gym in southern Beijing. The team is preparing for a tournament later this month against Yugoslavia, Italy and Australia. It was early Thursday morning in Beijing when Yao rose to watch the draft live with his family. Later in the day he shot free throws and played in a brief scrimmage. Thursday. Afterward, surrounded by reporters, he looked a little abashed and unaccustomed to all the cameras. Admitting he didn't much like being photographed, he answered question in terse bursts. Does he like Western food? "So-so.'' Is he worried about all the pressure? "I already feel it.'' Yao's solid moves and shooting are a rare combination in a player so tall. However, he needs to bulk up and improve his upper body strength to gain advantage under the basket and avoid injuries. He said he expects adjusting to the NBA will take some time -- but that practice is the best form of preparation. "American basketball has its own unique culture,'' he said. "I hope I can adapt quickly.'' Chinese national coach Wang Fei said Yao will have no problems. "I think Yao will be a quick learner,'' Wang told Xinhua, China's national news agency. "His attitude toward the sport is perfect and he is very smart.'' Even as Yao hits the NBA, he remains little known at home in a land where soccer is king. In the midst of their obsession with the World Cup, Chinese hardly picked up on the news about Yao on Thursday. "I've never heard of him,'' said Li Yulong, a Beijing hardware store clerk, turning quickly to Sunday's soccer championship. "So who do you think will win the final, Germany or Brazil?'' In Yao's native Shanghai, where he plays for the local team, the Sharks, residents were a bit more aware. Fei Fusheng, 50, browsing in a sporting-goods store in a Shanghai shopping mall and wearing a red Sharks cap, said Yao's departure for the United States would be a loss for Chinese fans. "But it is definitely good for Yao's personal future,'' Fei said. "In the long term, his going will also promote the development of basketball in China.'' Liu Jianchao, a spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry, said Yao's shift to Houston -- following moves to the NBA by China's Wang Zhizhi and Menk Bateer -- could help smooth often-rocky relations between China and the United States. "We hope that he will succeed,'' Liu said. "In my view, their performances can only help enhance mutual understanding between the two countries.'' Yao's skills easily qualified him to play in the United States. Approval from the government's official China Basketball Association didn't come as easily, though. The CBA demanded a guarantee that its star player would be available to play for China's national team when called upon. Word of a final agreement came through only hours before the draft. Days earlier, Yao had separately closed the other part of the deal by reaching a compensation agreement with the Sharks. It's not clear when Yao will travel to the United States. Yao is training in Beijing with the national team, which will be going to the United States in August for a training camp to prepare for the world championships. Yao will be only the third Chinese to play in the NBA after Wang, who played two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, and Bateer, who plays for the Denver Nuggets. Chinese media have dubbed them the "walking Great Wall.'' Bateer, also at Thursday's practice, said Yao might be overwhelmed at first by the foreign culture, language and food. But he said Yao would adapt to the game within a year or two. "Play your hardest, that's the best advice I can give him,'' Bateer said.
He said the same thing on the NBA.com chat He definately is calling out Shaq You have to love this guy. No Fear
You have got to love this guy's attitude! Sure, the proof will be on the court, but does this sound like a softie to you? Can you picture Rik Smits saying something like that? But I'm not sure if Yao knows what he's getting into ... Couldn't he have started out small, maybe by calling out Todd MacCulloch instead? "He is a little anthill in my way. I will step over him on my way to bigger and bigger mountains such as Shaq."
You know I can't wait until the World Championships so Yao can <b> ABUSE </> Bradley on the German team...
Yao is saying it with respect (to be the best you must play the best), but I guarantee Shaq will take it differently. He's already promised to throw them 'bows against Yao. If I were Yao, I wouldn't mention Shaq or the Lakers, just say I look forward to playing in the league etc....
Yea but ya gotta appreciate his determination. And if he is really serious about besting Shaq, think about what kind of a team we would have. For me, I would want to challenge the BEST and play the BEST so I can get better. I do appreciate his FIRE and I expect and hope to see alot of it during the season. Shaq may manhandle him for a while, but I do think at the end, Yao will have his "DYNASTY"
Shaq will manhandle him and any other player that stands in his way unless he is broken down mentally or physically. He's giving himself a deathwish.
I wonder what Shaq will say to that? You have to imagine, at some point he will say that he respects Ming, the way he did about Todd Machullouch. If Ming plays him straight up and doesn't flop, Shaq will respect him.
This is one of the questions the interviewer asked him after he was the Rockets selected him with their first draft pick. Q: What team are you most looking forward to playing? Translator: The L.A. Lakers. I just want to play the best center. He said he will likely fail at the start, but that won't deter him from continuing to try and beat him. He is ambitious, but you gotta luv that. -G'day-
Lol Wrath of KHan I was thinking the exact same thing... The media is going to have a field day with that quote. No matter how much you think it is meant in respect. When you take it out of context it sounds like a direct challenge to Shaq. Shaq will be motivated to destroy him if possible. But you got love this kid. He is definitely a humble warrior ready for the challenge. Well maybe not quite ready yet...
The only reason Shaq said that about Machullouch was because he knew that he was superior than him and by saying he was respectable made him look better when he destroyed. He never gave Robinson props when he played decent against him. And never said anything good about Olajuwon until it was obvious he was better than him. ANd then he gave to much props. He kept saying Olajuwon was the best center in the league when clearly he was better. Shaq hates anyone who would truly challenge him. So I don't expect him say anything nice about Ming unless he clearly is superior. Here's hoping he never has a nice thing to say about Yao.
I love this. No Fear. Good thing he didn't call out the Mail Man... at least Shaq is not a dirty player like Malone.
Wonder if this could be some training in Houston?? Get used to the time change, Mings new home, coaches will get to work with Rocket coachs. Just a thought.
To be fair, he didn't call out Shaq or say that he would best him. Look at what he said: <i>"He is a mountain in my way,'' Yao said, referring to the Los Angeles Lakers' own 7-foot star. "I will try to conquer it by all means. "My first tries may turn out to be failures, but I will continue with others.'' </i> He just said that he will do his best to try to conquer Shaq and if his first tries don't work, then he'll keep trying. He didn't say that he would neccessarily win the matchup, he just promised to keep trying. Nothing wrong with that.
It's already starting... Here is what the AP wire decided to report out of that whole article. Yao says he's determined to conquer NBA Associated Press BEIJING -- The NBA's No. 1 draft pick said Thursday he's looking forward to battling with the best in the league -- even if he has to adjust to American food along the way. A day after making basketball history, 7-foot-5 Yao Ming worked out with the Chinese national team and pledged one day to best Shaquille O'Neal. "He is a mountain in my way,'' Yao said, referring to the Los Angeles Lakers' own 7-foot star. "I will try to conquer it by all means. AP Out of that whole article they only reported his statement about Shaq and the didn't even report the second part. The media will never forget this quote. Never. Let's hope ming is up for the challenge.
Loved Ming's quotes when I read them. Ambitous - Determined - Fearless - Bold. But also, Respectful and Humble. He did call Shaq out in a way. But he did it respectfully. Shaq can take it any way he wants. He will probably choose to take it "wrong" to motivate himself. I see Shaq as a person who is just as likely to leave the game because he is bored with it as he is to leave it because his skills have declined. Shaq is an intelligent guy who needs to have and likes challenges. Ming's words give him one. I hope the first few confrontations with Shaq do not dampen Ming's spirit or destroy his confidence. I'm ready for the season!
Hate to say it, but dont we all remember Tsalkilidas (Phoenix center) saying the same sort of thing when he was drafted? Shaq just rips him a new one each time they play. At least he seems to have a lot of confidene in his game.
