I agree totally! Someone else wrote this - The League isn't racist, but they want to show the #1 pick, that in the NBA it won't be so easy. They just want to show who's the best. Wrong, a lot of the NBA players are racist IMO. Who was it that said if Larry Bird was black he would just be considered an average player?
This is the dumbest comment ever, its called trash talking intimidation/ not racism - I swear some people dont know when rasicm is rasicm....
The reason that these guys are talking so much trash is because Ming has gotten SOOOOO much hype without really producing against any real competition. If he was held to 17 and 5 against Canada (ie nobody but Nash) then I can really see single digits and an early exit bye way of fouls. Ming is not ready and his team has no chance of helping him out. Just my opinion but I predict 11 pts 6 boards and 3 blks on 4-9 shooting
Hello Newbie......Yes, please enlighten us all and explain just exactly what "rasicm" is!! Damn ignament trolls
Who had these stats during his rookie year? 1.1 points and 1.7 rebounds in 5.8 minutes That's right! It's Mr. Wallace himself during his 96-97 rookie season. It's funny how people forget where they came from or how they started once they are on top of their game.
Dammit! I WAS wrong. Apologies to Matador and Getsmartnow. I looked it up and they were right. Quintuplets is 5 units. Penta is greed for 5 sides. I'm a dumass and outahere.
I'm sure these comments will only fire up Yao more than they have this entire board. I hope he tears them up.
I think he is nearly 1/2'' taller on both measurements.He was measured when he was in Chicago for his exhibition, earlier in the year.
Yetti I'm not sure if this question has been posed before but in your sig... how is Steve getting an open 2 and a foul?
China probably will lose, but they'll not do much worse than the game against Canada. Yao will be fine. Score more points and wont be pushed around as much as in the Canadian game. Wont be 100% FG this time though. YALL be SURPRISED.
Latest from the Chronicle: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/1544381 Yao can count on a rough welcome U.S. centers eager to test No. 1 pick By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle OAKLAND, Calif. -- Rudy Tomjanovich could have skipped tonight's exhibition between China and the United States, otherwise identified as Yao Ming's first appearance in the United States since he became Rockets bound. But Tomjanovich could not resist a chance to check out Yao against NBA competition. United States' centers knew that they had greater games to win and tests to face. But they found themselves eager to learn their own truths about the first player taken in the NBA draft and offer their sort of welcome to the league. The game was billed as Yao's show. But there was one participant in tonight's otherwise meaningless exercise who could not get worked up about the matchup. "It's not a strong feeling about it," Yao said after a workout Thursday in the Warriors' training facility. "If I have any feeling, it will be after the game. "It will be a great opportunity for me. The more the better, because in the future, that's the way I'm going to play." But that was about it. After physical play in Vancouver last week, he did not show any particular concern about facing powerful veterans at least closer to his own size, or excitement about a chance to face defenders who will try to defend him, rather than simply break him. Asked if NBA players will seek to test him, he simply said: "That's their business." But no matter how he chose to downplay tonight's meeting with the U.S. strong men lying in wait, they stepped out of the usual NBA practiced indifference to admit they are eager to test him. "We're going to beat him up pretty bad," Pistons center/forward Ben Wallace said. "Welcome to the league, welcome to our country. This is our playground. This is how we play. We're definitely going to be up for the challenge. "It's going to be a good challenge for him, and I'm pretty sure everybody in the league is going to step up and make him work for everything he gets. Nothing comes free in this league." For players on an American team to look forward to facing any particular opponent, rather than the other way around, is a marked change of form. But Yao is nothing if not unique. "NBA players have a lot of pride," U.S. coach George Karl said. "There is no question that in our first game, players are going to come out with a little extra juice and energy." But Yao's combination of size and mystery, along with his place in the draft, make him compelling for even NBA veterans. "I'm interested because (the media) are so interested," Antonio Davis said. "Obviously there's something about him. From what I heard, he's got good hands and can shoot the ball well and he's big. We'll just go out and keep him away from the basket and limit his touches. "I would want to show I'm a worthy No. 1 pick. Every time I was on the court for me would be a big thing. There would be no such thing as an exhibition." For now, Yao has to make honing his skills for the World Championships his first priority. He said it could take two or three seasons to adjust to the NBA. "Every center, they are very good," he said. "They are very powerful." Asked about playing the most powerful of centers, Yao said he would face Shaquille O'Neal soon enough. But Tomjanovich did not want to wait. The U.S. collection of Wallace, Davis, Jermaine O'Neal and Elton Brand will not quite offer a meeting with a first- or second-team NBA center. But it will provide another glimpse of Yao. In Vancouver, he made all six of his attempts against a team determined to surround and punish him. Burly reserve center Richard Anderson of Canada said, "Every time he got the ball, I hit him." The U.S. centers likely will not have to resort to that, offering Tomjanovich a chance to see Yao in competition somewhat closer to what he will face next season. "It's just a chance to get to watch to certain situations," Tomjanovich said. "I could very well had not been here. But just getting a feel for where he likes to catch the ball, certain things he likes to do, devising a plan -- to me that's what's exciting about basketball. I have principles every year. But I change plays to fit the personnel I have. Just being there live at a game gives me a feel for some of the things he can do." Tomjanovich found that so exciting, he said he has been jotting down plays involving Yao since returning from Vancouver. "There's several sets I showed to the coaches yesterday," Tomjanovich said. "I love that. To me, basketball is a sport that has the most freedom and the biggest chance of chaos. But when they get it together and it works, there is nothing like it. It's like jazz musicians coming together and making something beautiful. "I'm not going to put too much into it. They call the game different. The Chinese team is not my team. Yao Ming being with the Houston Rockets (will be) with a different caliber of player. I'm just here to gather information and enjoy visualizing this guy being on our team."
Mr.Bean Wallace wants to have a piece of Yaoda and ends up giving piece of himself to Yaoda. Nice ending.
and when did you begin reading minds and knowing what other men would say in certain situations. Do you have some special insight into Ben Wallace. Perhaps he's just an intense player with intense thoughts regarding what many label an "over-hyped project #1 pick"?
Yao's going to have a lot of assists. He doesn't know how to box out yet, so don't expect more than 6 rebounds against Ben Wallace and Antonio Davis. I think he's going to have the exact same stats he had against Canada. It would be nice if Bateer played PF, to keep Ben Wallace busy with someone else. Ming needs SOME help.
