Anthony Falsone: If The Dream could do it, Yao can do it

while no doubt falsone is amazing, i dont see how yao can sustain for 20 years, he would be 44 by than...not many players can still be good at 44.

 

...Especially for his height and weight. The extra weight (read, more weight than most...not he is fat) could shed years off his NBA life.

 

ok even if its "only" 41 or 42 thats still quite a lot, i mean karl malone was injury prone and declining before he retired, and shaq is in a decline as well.

 

I think Falsone knows that there is luck involved with being injury free for that long to the point that skills don't diminish. Playing in the NBA is more than just being the top center in the game. Making the cut is still playing in the NBA. I think Falsone means that Yao could make the cut for 16 more years if he wants to and is lucky enough with the injuries. I could be wrong though.

Thanks for the translation pryuen.

 

Thank you for a great report. It is appreciated.

 

Man, is it just me, or the more you hear about Yao and his work ethic and desire to be the best he can possibly be make you like him more than any other player in the NBA? My all time favorite player, Barkley, wasn't known for his work ethic, rather his incredible basketball instincts, heart, and natural talent. Yao has all three of those PLUS work ethic. As much as it may pain me to say this, I think Yao has now surpassed Barkley as my all time favorite player. It really pains me when I hear people badmouth him for being weak, soft, whatever you want to call it. He's an easy target because he's a nice guy. The next time you want to call Yao weak, think about the fact that he came over from a totally different culture, a vastly inferior level of competition, and from what I've read, an ancient system of practice and workout methods that absolute did not prepare him for the NBA.

Yao has done nothing but bust his ass for the Rockets and the fans of Houston to make himself better. He's vowed to bring the Larry O'Brien trophy back to Houston before his career is over, and whether he does it or not, won't affect my perception of him as a person and player. He's a great guy. If we don't win a title with Yao, it won't be because of his lack of effort, but because of poor luck/bad timing. I truly hope that T-Mac can come back in full force for at least another 3 to 5 years. It would be a shame to see a once in a lifetime talent like Yao have his best years wasted because of injuries.

Sorry for the rant, but I just had to express how much I admire Yao for training hard every offseason to improve his game. Calling the man soft or weak is probably the most ignorant thing a person can say.

If you must criticize Yao, be critical of something other than his heart and determination, because it is unmatched in the National Basketball Association.

 

good post sir charles, i agree with everything you said.

 

The more time passes the more the memories fade. I love Hakeem, I watched him from his sophmore year at U of H till the end, but the truth was he was physically spent a year before he ever went to Toronto. They were insane to offer him the contract they did and that's why Houston didn't and let him go.
And Hakeem and Yao are so physically different it is almost laughable to compare them. (insert you own racial assumptions here)

Being Yao's size has just got to be so hard on his knees and feet, I think a 10 year pro career would be all you could ask. How old was Sabonis when he was just a shell of his former self, maybe 30?

 

The way Hakeeem played gotta be more tolling than the way Yao plays. Good or bad Yao's way is, he barely leaves his foot. If he strengthen his frame and with some luck, I think Falson's prediction is not far fetched.

 

Stories like these make the offseason bearable. Thanks for the heads up, pryuen.

 

Excellent Post. I had only just watched Year of the Yao for the first time a few nights ago, (only just came out here on dvd) and i was so proud to see him make such great strides in his first season.

To see people mock him and doubt him but he stayed determined and proved everybody wrong and did so with such class. He became my favourite player since Hakeem Olajuwon, he captures everything i loved about Hakeem. This is the first time i've had a true favourite player since Dream retired, i'm proud that he's a Rocket and i know he'll try his best to win that championship for us.

 

I'm sure FALSONE was speaking generally...20 years...Olajuwon actually played 18...so I understand the statement.

Yao has played 4 ...14 more are not so far fetched...especially when you consider the career role play of the big man. Yao's movement will change as he ages. And as coaching styles change. Van Gundy will not be his coach forever and it is VERY likely that the next coach will use him more as a traditional big man, as well as coaches that follow.

So, that alone will extend his career.

Sabonis play in the NBA was nothing compared to the years he played international ball. I'm not sure, but I believe he played MANY years. Many Sabonis fans who know of his past considered his NBA career to be the end.

Yao understands the role that a healthy body plays...Olajuwon did as well...as did Malone.

I think Yao could play til he was 38-40...and like I said...things will change as will his role...so I think it is possible.

 

Dream and Yao are comparable in that they come from different cultures and weren't exposed to quality hoops until very late in their life.Both were very raw and also very pliable.These guys have had the benefit of some great coaches/players working w/them....and Yao has something else Dream had....an upside of becoming one of the top 5 or 6 centers of all time.
When I first read the title for this thread my first reaction was..."Hey,you can't compare Dream to Yao",but there are so many similarities that are eerily reminicient........Yao might not have Dream's athleticism,but he will be great in his own way.
....and yeah,those PSJ days were the best.

 

..and as far as Yao having an 17 - 18 year career...Considering his size and body type it will be asking a lot(foot injuries and such),but with all the advances in training and medicine,maybe so.
Dream was the prototype basketball player IMO,much less center.He had it all including the perfect NBA body.

 

...and that specimen worked hard.

 

Sabonis was ROY when he joined the NBA at 32, and he played in the league til he was 39. He was a very effective player as he got older, although of course not as good as he was at his peak in Europe.

 

well if we're just comparing Yao & Hakeem's potential longevity, I would say the fact that Yao carries about 50-60 more lbs. on his relatively leaner, longer frame might be detrimental in the long run as it represents that much more stress, day in, day out.

With respect to Sabonis, I don't believe in the 80's and 90's when he was in Europe that he played anything near the physical demands of an NBA Season + playoffs, in which you're talking about 100+ 48 minute total games a year.

Even now, if you're on a top european team and you play domestic & Euroleague, I don't think they play more 35+ domestic games and 25+ Euroleague games w/40 minute games.

 

Twenty years is a long time, especially for a freakishly tall center who's on demand all year round by two teams. Even Dream didn't last twenty years and he was no slouch when it came to fitness and work ethic.