I'm a huge Yao fan from Shanghai China. After watching last night's game, I think Yao should be bashed for his recent performance. He’s been in America for three months. Although he’s success comes too easy and too fast, let’s not forget this is most competitive basketball league in the whole world. In order to survive, you not only need great basket skills and big size, but also the mental part: tenaciousness, toughness and the willing to do whatever it takes to win the game. If you’re so easy to get tired, you should eat more and change your diet. Skip the pregame interview and commercials may also save you some strength. If the teammate won’t pass the ball to you, speak out! If the game is on the line and coach doesn’t put you in, tell him you want to play! You’re now one of the leaders in your team. If the team loses, you’re responsible for that. Without the mental part, Yao will never be a great player like other great centers in the NBA history. I think some tough love is very helpful for Yao to develop into a great player. (I hope American friends understand my English)
20 points 9 rebounds 2 assists 1 block Thats a VERY good game ESPECIALLY at the NBA level AND being exhausted. Don't be so hard on him. He WILL do the things you say to be a great leader. Give him more time.
Very well said. But I think if you can post your message at sina, Yao may have a chance to look at it.
Leon_2002: You are too hard to Yao. Completely you have no experience to live aboar. If you have any experience live aboard for a while, you'll know Yao have done pretty good job. I don't want to bash you, but please think to over to present a theread. I feel shame of you.
You know, I see a lot of complaints on the Chinese message boards on Yao's commercials. I've only seen one commerical myself, the Apple commercial. Has he been making a ton of other ones? I think you're oversimplifying things. His fatigue cannot be cure by just 'eating more and changing his diet'. Ming is tired because he's playing a lot more than his body is used to. It's something that happens to practically ALL rookies. That's why there's even a term for it, called 'the rookie wall'. I'm also not certain just how much of a 'leader' he is. I doubt he has any leadership role on the team. I do agree that perhaps he needs to demand the ball. But when you're a rookie in a new country, it's not something you can just do.
You make an interesting point. For example, Hakeem was never shy about demanding the ball, even when he was washed up. But I don't remember if he demanded the ball his rookie season. Even if he did, Hakeem had already played basketball for several years in this county (in fact, this city). Yao is in a country that is still brand new to him, in a level of competition that is greater than anything he has ever been exposed to, and still in the process of learning a foreign language. I look for him to demand the ball after he gets a year under his belt.
I think the main problem for Yao Ming is his lack of strength and stamina. Lack of upper body strength makes him struggle to get low post position not as easily as say Amare or Shaq. And lack of stamina makes him only to be able to dominate in 20 mins rather than 48 mins. He needs to solve these problems to become great.
As a rookie you can't demand the other players to give you the ball. Even in Mobley's rookie season he gave the ball up every time to the vets in the post. It's up to the coach to make the demands on the veteran players not rookies. Once Yao gets some years under his belt he can start making demands.
The only person that is actually doing something on this team is Yao. Everyone else isn't on the same page as Yao. He has come in and contributed and has advanced farther in learning THE GAME than Francis and Mobley.
I think Moses or Hakeem said that the biggest lesson Dream learned from Moses during Fonde years was how to demand the ball. Someone needs to Yao this lesson and maybe teach him how to b**** slap one of the guards for not giving him his change.
That's probably the English name he gave himself. If you learn enough Chinese to be able to write that first post in it, you'd probably give yourself a Chinese name too, eh?
I think the Rockets need to hire a former great nba center to not only teach Yao how to play a big man basketball but something like you said.
Shut the f*ck up. You are a disgrace of Chinese. You have no f*cking clue how much Yao has been contributing so far. He is one of the few Rox players who deserve their paychecks. F*ck yourself again because you are a disgrace of my home town.
ahha...the way to win friends and convince enemies...profanity.. hello pot ? this is kettle... btw..I do agree that Yao is one of the few that doesnt deserve to be bashed...but your way of disagreeing with Leon is classless and an embarrassment to the board.
Actually Yao was demanding the ball sometimes. I saw him doing this around the FT line once when he was totally open but you know he will never get it since Rockets never know how to pass the ball.
I've known several. A pretty popular Chinese (English) name, possibly due to the popularity of Leon Lai, a huge HK pop singer.
I agree. However, if I want to maintain my "class", I have to (1) accept it's OK for Leon et al to declass my home town; (2) accept it's OK for Leon et al to bash Yao BECAUSE he is from China. Throughout my career, I never show class to those who open their mindless mouthes on the job without any efforts. And I got reward and respect because of that.
