From David Barron's Friday article: Walton: Rockets must handle Yao with TLC, but let him learn By DAVID BARRON Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle It's always a good time to talk with the Big Redhead, Bill Walton. But this week is particularly appropriate, because the Rockets play on ESPN for the first time tonight in Phoenix. Walton won't be at the game, which will be called by Mike Tirico and Tom Tolbert, but there's nobody better than the Big Redhead to comment on the care and feeding of Yao Ming. "When I joined the NBA, I was 100 percent unprepared for what was about to happen. I had grown up dreaming and watching and visualizing what it would be like to be in the NBA," Walton said. "I came from the greatest program in college basketball, and I still found myself without question, without reservation, absolutely unprepared. "And now here is a guy who grew up in a completely different culture than our throw-it-down-in-our-face culture, who has so many differences, and we're expecting him to come out and completely change the NBA in two weeks. Those expectations are unfair to Yao Ming and are a sad reflection on us as people and as a culture." Walton, as you recall, has three sons who played the college game, and he thinks the Rockets could be paternal in their treatment of Yao. "Here is a guy we should treat like he was our own son," Walton said. "We support him, we give him endless and unconditional love, but we have to let him learn on the fly. "And that is what is so difficult when you start at age 22, and everybody is asking `Where are the dunks? Where are the blocks? Where is the power game?' Remember that Yao has never played against anybody who is even as good as Kelvin Cato. And he's never played for a coach as good as Rudy Tomjanovich or with anybody as accomplished as Steve Francis. "Is it a stretch to say that this is as hard a transition as somebody who was put on Earth from Mars? Not to be disrespectful to the Chinese culture, but that is what we're talking about." Another element working against Yao's short-term emergence is the fact he plays only about a dozen minutes a game. "Unless you play 20 minutes, everything you do is totally a matter of luck," Walton said. "He plays seven or 11 minutes, in part because of Kelvin Cato's improved play -- and who would have ever thought you would use those words in the same sentence."
Illtellyawhut, I have hated listening to Walton call the games...but if he dont quit talkin nice about our boy..Im gonna have to like him.. Damn! As much as I hate to say it...I especially agree with him here and here
Walton and Barkley represent two different camps viewing about Yao Ming. In Walton's camp there are Larry Brown, Rudy.T, and others like magic joson, D.Robinson, etc. On Barkley's side, there is ESPN sports center. Pretty much we can see who is the joke already.
I agree, Walton has his moments where it makes it hard to like the guy. But you have to admit one thing, he ALWAYS spoke positively about Hakeem, and now it seems so with Yao. Walton does know a thing or two about developing centers. If you're going to take people's opinion and run with it, take it from the athletes that play and know the sport. More importantly, take it from the guys that play(ed) the position.
It still makes me feel good when a person that is knowledgeable about the center position believes in the potential of Yao. Most of us here believe, but we are all a bunch of homers. Yao will be good but it sure is hard waiting. Oh and I still can't stand listening to Walton call a game, he needs to shut that trap.
i'm surprised he (or for that matter any analyst) knew one of the reasons yao wasn't playing was because of cato's improved play. you actually have to pay attention to a team to know something like that and can't just make up the analysis from afar.
nothing gives me the 's more than Bill Walton exaggerating to make a point. Check the stats. Yao Ming is not getting only 7-11 mpg. Yao had one 7 min game and one 24 min game...other games are consistently around 13-15mpg. That is exactly what Curry is getting in Chicago. Walton is further exaggerating with this statement, "unless you get more than 20mpg, everything you do is totally a matter of luck." Really! What does that mean? I don't really understand that unless you are talking about stats being inconsistent without 20+...but that has little to do with your "everything you do." The fact is that Yao is consistently coming in right at the first TV Timeout, or earlier if Cato gets 2 fouls. Yao is getting around 7-9 minutes in the first half and that is plenty of time for Rudy to determine whether Yao is playing lethargic defense or is lost in the offense or not. When he plays with energy, Yao got 24 minutes. When he doesn't...that isn't about LUCK...where another 5 minutes that Bill wants will help.
I was at the Portland game an hour early (left work, went to the game) and got to watch the Rockets warm up. One thing I noticed that caught my attention was how Francis and Mobley seemed to take the initiative to hang out with and buddy up with Yao from time to time. I was encouraged to see this and though a little thing I think it says a lot about the supportive, nurturing approach the Rockets are taking with Yao.
As a College player and in his early pro years I did not like Bill Walton. This dislike was caused by me, being a follower of the sports news media. Walton was just too Avant Guarde and seemed to be in conflict with Society.The years later as a player on the Celtics I still didn't even like him then. I am surprised at so many members not liking Bill as a Basketball Commentator.I enjoyed his commentary,especially arround our Championship Years.Regarding the article Yao Ming/Rockets , he shows great understanding of the situation and his advice should be heeded.
At first glance maybe...but not really. It's a diss to the OLD Cato but a compliment to the NEW Cato.
Barkley has been hard on Ming, but he was hard on Francis and Mobley. You can tell that Barkley likes Ming because last week he jumped on Cat and Francis' case for not giving Ming the ball more.
