Remember someone with the name "Charles Barkley" could push almost everyone around in the paint. He was officially measured at 6' 5 1/2"
Impossible to have a 5'4" guy with 260 lb and lean fat. If such a dude exist, he might even able to hold against Shaq, albeit not out-rebounding him. Shaq might even trip over such a dude. Denying the law of center of gravity is ignorance. The way to outrebound a taller player in basketball is to lean on him as long as u have the muscle mass to do it, a very basic skill in the game. The point is not so much to out-rebound the taller player, rather to stop him from jumping up and let somebody else to get to the ball. This is especially true in the international games, where the paint area is trapezoidal. To get your butt between your man and the basket doesnt require too much skill, just the will, the muscle mass and sometimes a big butt, like Sir Charles. By the way, is there any current NBA players weighing over 260 lb but shorter than 6'6". I m not making excuses for MING. Of course he could have played better. He did say after the game he needs more weight training. The fault really lies on the Chinese coach who didnt know how to adjust to the Canadian defense, and made good use of MING's strength.
I don't think "getting pushed around" is such a big deal for Yao. Only players who have no outside game fear being pushed around. Nobody is worried about KG being pushed around even though he is not built as a banger. I think Yao's versitility plus the coach's strategies will allow him to float around the less mobile banger defenders.
Also, you have to stay in the low post to wait for the ball only if your guards can't penetrate. If you guards are skilled and you have the outside shot, you can time the pass to the low post without having to hold your position for a long time. Once you get the ball, the defender cannot push you without getting the foul call.
Man, Ben Wallace isn't 6'7. He's listed at 6'9, 240. But he's probably around 6'8 240. With shoes he's probably 6'9 though. Also, who says this 6'6 Canadian guy is Charles Barkley-like? If he was, don't you think he's be in the NBA? He's probably like a Gary Trent clone (size and strength). You may not like to admit it, but for now, that's enough to push around Ming. But Ming will grow, learn and adjust.
Once Yao gets the ball down low, he can score at will unless they double or triple team him, or foul him. Those who say Yao has no low post game simply because he is not strong are wrong. His low post game is better than most of the NBA centers rigth now. You don't have to be very strong to be an effective offensive player b/c you can choose the style of game you want on offense. My bigger concern for Yao's lack of strength is on the defensive end. You can't choose your game on defense. You have to take what comes at you. Yao is a shot blocker. But he will have trouble holding his ground against NBA centers/PF down low. If Yao only have to play offense, he probably will have immediately impact and score 20 pts a game. But what will keep him on the bench will be his defensive problems.
They said the 6'6" canadian guy is a Charles Barkley-like only in terms of the strength to push. And just have great strength to push doesn't make a player to be in the NBA. If not then all the NFL offensive linemans would be in the NBA too.
