yao is already starting to come alive but i think he could use some weight lifting for his upperbody and some olajuwon tapes after his upperbody is bigger shaq wont be SH#$ yao has a GREAT supporting cast he couldnt have any better teamates. also he needs a little bit more minutes ,you saw how when he got more minutes against toranto he had better stats.
I think it would be asking alot for Yao to develop an upper body like Shaq's. If Yao can get stronger and improve his jumping ability, I dont think many people will be able to stop him but himself.
codell:- You are exactly right! Yao Ming can't develop his upper body to be like Shaq! HE IS THE WRONG BODY TYPE, he can only put on a small increase in muscle size, but can become much stronger! Dont expect anything from Yao Ming, just let him surprise you as he develops!
I hope his trainers find a right balance where he doesn't lose his quickness but enough so that he can front Shaq or take one of Mutombo's nasty elbows. I remember when Dream started to bulk up and he lost his quickness the skinny Dream had. It also didn't keep him away from injuries later on (but that could be from age...).
Invisible Fan, you are so right! I remember around 1990, Hakeem started to get big! His upper body put more weight on his legs and he wasn't able to jump as quick. Later, 1996, that extra weight gave Hakeem knee and back problems.
One of the things that Ming needs the most is THE BALL! Surely Rudy will start running some plays for him soon.
Here is an article about Yao Ming fromm CNN by Sports Illustrated senior writer Jack McCallum : "I was curious to know your thoughts on Yao Ming. How do you think he will handle the tough NBA game? I have read that players who are taller than 7-foot-4 have limited mobility and are susceptible to having smaller, faster players push them around. --Jon Careless, Halifax, Nova Scotia " Jack McCallum replied: "I didn't see Yao a lot before the pick was made. People in the know swore to me that he was the real deal. I'm not so sure. I would not have have made him the No. 1 pick. Too risky. (But then, I'm not a GM.) I was at Manute Bol's first game some 15 years ago. He blocked Kevin McHale's first three shots. But as soon as teams saw Bol once or twice, they figured him out. He was too slow to react. He wasn't a "spring"-type jumper with that ability to go up quickly and move in the air. These giants -- Bol, Gheorghe Muresan, Shawn Bradley -- have never been able to dominate. But maybe Ming is the guy to start a dynasty. It happened once, about 3,000 years ago. " What do you think about his answer?
Yeah, I guess he lost so much quickness that he won two rings and a couple of MVP's. He was so slow he absolutely destroyed David Robinson in 1995. Haven't many younger, thinner players than the post-1996 Hakeem had problems with their knees and backs? How about Ralph Sampson? Age had to catch up with Hakeem sometime...
I dont think he said that Hakeem was slow or that he lost all his quickness. When Hakeem first came into the league, he was down right explosive and probably quicker than any 4 or 5 in this league. I specifically remember that as the years went by and Hakeem put on more upper body strength, he was not quite as explosive as he was when he first came into the league. This is alll just a compliment to Hakeem's ability. Even after he bulked up, he was still quicker and more explosive than any 5 in the league. But there is no doubt that he lost a lil when he bulked up. Its only natural. Sampson's back problem and knee problems all came as a result of one incidence. It definately was not because "stick" put on weight.
'The key to Yao's success' can be summed up in one word: Patience As we all know, Yao is just getting his feet wet. He had a good game on Sat. (he was pretty solid, albeit quiet, on Fri., too), but he's still got a long way to go. As fans, let's just relax and 'enjoy the ride.'
You are right on. We all wanted to see him come in and just dominate the league, but it' not gonna happen yet. It's gonna be fun to see him develop. We can all see this guy loves the game and wants to improve to be the best. He's just not happy to be in the NBA and making money. Early on, that's all I really need to know.
Don't cry. Please, it's emmbarrasing... Did I said that he DID NOT win two rings or a couple MVPs? No. I was mearly stating a fact about what extra weight can do to centers, or any player for that matter. Call it bad off season habits (and other factors)...strength/weight ratio... The fact of the matter is that when players put on extra bulk to help them during the season, when they come back the following year, they have to work extra hard to take off the weight they gained during the off season. During that process you have extra stress on the knees and back and it takes its toll. That's why John Stockton, Karl Malone, Eddie Johnson (ret), Vlade Divac are able to stay completive even in their "old age." They keep the weight off later in their years. They know that if they "get fat" during the off season they will make it harder on themselves when they have to work it off. Also, if they bulk up too much, plus the extra fat, that just make it's more hard on their bodies. Stay trim, not muscle bound. Kevin Wills, stays fit year round (like Malone). But Kevin said that balance helped his career in 1995/96. He stopped doing so much strength training and more anaerobic/cardio later in his career. He's still "buffed" but not as much as his younger days. Hakeem was in excellent shape in 1994/95. But, the extra bulk took it's toll in the beginning of 96 (missed the McDonnals Championship), and intermittently the rest of his career. He exceeded his optimum strength/weight ratio. You could tell. Remember, 94 and 95, was Hakeem's 10th and 11th season. Over the hill? I don't think so. Remember is about finding your balance. It's not how big/heavy you are. It's not how strong you are. It's how strong you are in relation to your weight. There's an optimum threshold for each particular player/person. Want an excellent example: See Emmit Smith.
