Yao shows promise, and so do Suns The Arizona Republic Nov. 16, 2002 12:00 AM Scene from Friday night at America West Arena: Reporter: "Yao Ming, did you hear what Charles Barkley said to a national television audience, that he'd kiss your backside, live on TV, if you scored as many as 19 points in a game?" Yao (through an interpreter): "When I heard him say that, I thought, 'I better not score more than 18 tonight.' " Advantage, Yao. In a span of 10 minutes before Friday's game, Houston Rockets center Yao hit the impossible daily double: He charmed the media and got the last word on Barkley. Later, in a span of 48 minutes, Yao offered, well, what's Mandarin for "a glimmer of hope"? No one's declaring him the next Shaquille O'Neal, but no one should call him the next Stanley Roberts, either. He's simply playing like a man whose NBA career didn't start until Oct. 20, who missed training camp and who saw action in just two preseason games. In 14 minutes of play in the Suns' 88-87 victory, he scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting, had two rebounds and one blocked shot. He's athletic, has a nice touch and revealed solid basketball instincts. He also has no leaping ability, he's slow, and he's still feeling his way. This was painfully evident in the third quarter, when a Stephon Marbury crossover move left a dazed Yao on his backside and Amare Stoudemire and Joe Johnson giggling with glee on the bench. It was another visit from the NBA Welcome Wagon, just like the one-handed dunk San Antonio's Stephen Jackson delivered in Yao's first NBA game, a dunk Jackson told the Houston Chronicle was a welcome-to-the-NBA shot. There will be more of those. But there also will be nice drop steps and, maybe someday, assertiveness in the low post. It just may not be for a year or two. His timing is impeccable. The NBA, which has lost or will lose David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Alonzo Mourning and Patrick Ewing, is ready for a big man to dominate the paint. Surprise. Observers had predicted disaster for the Suns' and Rockets' top picks. After Yao's workouts in Chicago, scouts around the NBA privately called the 7-foot-6 center a bust. And before the draft, many suggested Stoudemire would be too dangerous a pick, that a 19-year-old with a challenging background and a lot of money was a disaster waiting to happen. Neither prophecy will come true. Yao is the anti-Shawn Bradley in that he loves the game to its core. And Stoudemire has done nothing to suggest he will self-destruct. He has been receptive to coaching, cautious with his money and welcomed by his teammates. Suddenly Stoudemire, who turns 20 today, and his teammates have become downright entertaining. Penny Hardaway is re-energizing the offense, Tom Gugliotta moves better than he has in a while, and Shawn Marion is Shawn Marion: an athlete of superhuman proportions. That's not how one would define Yao, but he clearly has a strong sense of self that will survive the criticism destined to float his way. It's probably good that Yao's grasp of the language is limited, because the verbal assaults have come from all directions. Barkley told a national TV audience "Yao Ming makes Shawn Bradley look like Bill Russell," and O'Neal recently responded to inquiries about the player with "Yao Who?" It's "Yao Ming," and sadly for Barkley, he may soon enough get an up-close and personal look at the phenomenon.
