Star Tribune: Yao's turnaround is becoming BIG NBA story

Yao's turnaround is becoming BIG NBA story

Steve Aschburner
Star Tribune

Published Dec. 20, 2002 WOLF1220

Greg Ballard had pretty much finished dissecting, and drooling, over Yao Ming's game when he paused, then made what a few weeks back would have been an outrageous prediction about the Houston Rocket's rookie center and, at 7-5, the NBA's biggest story through the early season.

"Y'know, he may make the All-Star team," said Ballard, a Timberwolves assistant coach who splits advance scouting duties with colleague Don Zierden. "Who's his competition? You've got Shaq, Vlade, then who? David Robinson, maybe, as a sentimental pick. But who else?"

No need for hushed tones here. Yao Ming, the first No. 1 draft pick ever selected off an international team, might start in the NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta on Feb. 9, voted in by his fans. C'mon, do the math: There are approximately 1.3 billion people in China, Yao's native land, compared to about 288 million in the United States. Balloting is available in China via the Internet for the first time ever this season.

So discounting the proverbial billion Chinese who don't give a hoot about (fill in the blank with some trivial bit of American culture), the Rockets' rapidly improving big man still could bury Shaquille O'Neal, Vlade Divac and any other Western Conference center by sheer numbers alone.

Except that Yao -- who will make his Target Center debut Saturday night when the Wolves face Houston -- might not need any Florida-worthy voting irregularities. He could get there on merit, given what was supposed to be a lengthy learning curve is now standing on end.

Against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday -- against whom Yao went scoreless in 11 minutes in his NBA debut Oct. 30 -- the 22-year-old from Shanghai had 29 points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots in a 95-83 victory. He notched his seventh double-double in the past eight games, coped with some bruising play, demonstrated an instinctive feel for the game (passing, anticipating) and delighted the crowd at Compaq Center, including ESPN analyst Bill Walton.

"It's not self-centered. It's not about the numbers," Walton gushed about Yao's game. "It's about the thought process. . . . The joy with which he plays."

Yao's list of admirers, though, doesn't end there. Even allowing for a bandwagon effect -- Yao, in seven weeks, has gone from alleged bust to acclaimed star -- the names and compliments are impressive:

O'Neal: "He shall be 'The Man' in a few years."

Former Houston coach Bill Fitch: "I love Yao's legs. If Ralph Sampson had Yao's legs to start with, he'd probably still be playing."

Philadelphia's Allen Iverson: "He's a gift from God."

Celtics legend Bill Russell: "By this time next year, if not the end of this year, a lot more stuff will be going through him. The players in Houston and Rudy [Tomjanovich, Rockets coach] are taking care of the kid."

Let's not forget, either, that Yao had Charles Barkley smooching up after the All-Star-turned-TV-loudmouth bet that the big man never would score 19 points in a game. Studio cohort Kenny Smith rented a donkey so Barkley could make good in a manner palatable for prime time.

That was one moment in what might be the most fascinating aspect of Yao's arrival and development in the U.S.: The cultural strides that all sides -- Asia and Texas, Mandarin and urban, Chinese selflessness and NBA in-your-face -- are making.

It didn't happen right away -- Yao didn't start until Nov. 22, saw the ball infrequently and averaged only 5.2 shots on a five-game West Coast trip. But Tomjanovich and his handle-happy team eventually remembered how high the Rockets drafted him and how vital it was to nurture him.

"They're getting him involved," Ballard said. "You've got Cuttino Mobley and Steve Francis on that team who like to hold onto the ball. But now they have more confidence in Yao Ming. Every time they give him the ball down there, he can make plays."

Ballard's scouting report on Yao? "Great hands, great passer. Can see the floor. Great feel for the game. Rebounds extremely well defensively. Runs the floor well for a big man. Athletic for his size. Great shooting touch. Turnaround near the basket, low post. Decent free-throw shooter. And one thing he's doing that he wasn't doing earlier is being more aggressive."

Yet Yao, shadowed by interpreter Colin Pine and subject to constant media and marketing requests, reportedly has remained humble, affable and accessible off the court. After a recent defeat, for instance, he said: "You have to understand, I play the game in two parts. One part is the enjoyment of playing. The other part is, of course, winning. Today, I achieved half of that."

Said Tomjanovich: "The entire experience so far has been refreshing. So warm, so friendly. He lights up a room when he enters and not just because he's so tall. He's genuine."

He's for real, too. On one play Wednesday, Yao dazzled under the basket when he pivoted twice, showed Pacers center Brad Miller the ball twice, snatched it back twice, then spun for a layup. It was straight out of Hakeem Olajuwon's playbook, a vintage Rockets moment ("Dream Shake") from a brand new Rockets cornerstone.

"What is so inspiring and gives me goose bumps," Tomjanovich told the Houston Chronicle, "is to hear that buzz in the crowd. Of course, cheers are great but after we make a great play, to hear that buzz continue . . . you could hear them say, 'Could you believe that?' "

Yao Ming is making believers of them all.

-- Steve Aschburner is at saschburner@startribune.com.

 

Sorry I missed it...but who could notice it in there?

This was a great article that deserves a life of its own!

My bad.

Btw...is anyone collecting all of these articles?