Agassi wowed by Chinese NBA star From correspondents in Houston November 10, 2003 COUNT tennis legend Andre Agassi among the legions of fans who admire Chinese baskeball star Yao Ming. The career Grand Slam tennis champion is here this week competing at the ATP Masters Cup while 7-foot-6 giant Yao and his Houston Rockets teammates are in the midst of a National Basketball Association homestand. "I always root for Yao," Agassi said. "Watching him is always a treat. I watch the Rockets whenever I get the chance. It's great watching him in the NBA. He makes a lot of other people look short." Yao was the top selection in last year's NBA Draft, the first player from international basketball so honored. He has helped revive the struggling club and made the league even more popular throughout Asia. "He has brought a lot more interest to basketball," Agassi said. "I like anybody who has that sort of impact on a game." Agassi then made Yao a rare offer, one that might find the Chinese goliath seated beside Agassi's wife Steffi Graf one day in a Grand Slam spectator's section. "He can sit in my box," Agassi said. Agence France-Presse
Yao prefers playing Dream Team Six in Athens Olympics ( 2003-11-10 21:44) (Xinhua) Chinese basketball star Yao Ming said China has missed a precious chance to play the United States in next year's Athens Olympics, reports said on Monday. The Houston Rockets center told Shanghai Morning Post: "I prefer playing US Dream Team Six in the Olympics. We don't have many chances to play against so many stars." China was drawn on Saturday in Pool A with New Zealand, Italy, Spain, Argentina and reigning world champions Serbia and Montenegro while the US team is in Pool B with Angola, Australia, Greece, Lithuania and Puerto Rico. "It's impossible for us to beat Serbia and Montenegro, but we have chance to beat New Zealand and Italy," Yao said. He added: "There are nine months before the Olympics. We have enough time to prepare for it."
