sorry if this has been posted! Wednesday, June 26 Updated: Wednesday, June 26, 11:55 AM ET Wang complicated Yao talks By Ric Bucher ESPN The Magazine -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The necessary papers have been signed. The No. 11 jersey has been ordered. Yao Ming is bound for Houston. And should he play with some added fire against countryman and Dallas Mavericks center Wang ZhiZhi once he arrives, it will be with good reason. The NBA has arranged to have Yao available in Beijing, surrounded by well-wishers, when commissioner David Stern announces that the Rockets have selected him with the No. 1 pick, making him the first foreign player to be the top choice in league history. The scene is expected to be televised back to The Theater in Madison Square Garden, the site of the 2002 NBA Draft. Had Wang not ignored his country's call to return for national team training, Yao probably could have enjoyed the historic moment in person. ZhiZhi's decision made Chinese officials wary that Yao could do the same sometime in the future, a concern that wasn't allayed until Yao met personally and privately at the 11th hour with the head of the Chinese Basketball Association and swore his allegiance. Although reports surfaced last week that Yao would not be attending the draft, flight reservations were still being held for him as late as Monday night and one source familiar with the negotiations still held out hope he might be able to attend in person. That chance finally ended when talks dragged on through Tuesday. The Chinese National Team is expected to play exhibition games in late August on the West Coast before heading to Indianapolis for the World Championships. As it stands, Yao will not join the Rockets until late October after the Asian Games. And ones While the Knicks have been giving the impression that they will select Maryland forward Chris Wilcox if they can acquire the No. 6 pick, one source says they've already started preliminary negotiations with representatives of power forward Maybyner "Nene" Hilario and have him as their first choice at No. 7. That is, of course, if he's available. The Suns were still trying to acquire the No. 6 pick from Cleveland in order to take either Hilario or Wilcox ... The Dallas Mavericks upset various Yugoslavian basketball officials by holding a private workout in Belgrad last week for several young prospects without notifying their teams, according to Yugoslavian sources. Coach/GM Don Nelson and assistant coaches Donnie Nelson and Del Harris attended and ran the workouts ... No one is happier that Yao has been cleared to go No. 1 than the Bulls, who feared the Rockets would begin entertaining offers from teams looking to acquire the first pick in order to get Duke point guard Jay Williams. Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ric.bucher@espnmag.com.
