http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2003-10-27/0956633186.shtml Seems Yao was not mentally strong. Camby's line "you played well, but this is only preseason, see ya next week..." made Yao sleepless. He was wondering what Camby exactly meant and if Camby played seriously at all. Yao thought himself delivered pretty much 100%, while other team might only with 60%. Anyways, dunno if Yao/reporters are throwing off smoking bombs (to lower our expectations), but it is a good article to read.
Don't believe everything people write. Isn't this the same souce that claimed Yao had broken the orbital bone above his eye? Come to find out, it was a cut that needed 8 stitches - no broken bones.
Good quote is that he said he's much heavier and stronger this season. Most people banged to him and bounced automatically back. TD banged to him and both lost balance while he recovered first.
For those that can't read Chinese, key points include: 1. Yao saying he's still not completely confident so wanted some low key treatment. He cited Lebron as example, who got hyped so much yet "played like this." 2. He said he waited for this match, because the Spurs are the defending champs. Nesterovic is not a softie but he really wanted to compare himself with TD. 3. He said he feels stronger and most people basically can't move him when they bump him, except TD. Both him and Duncan would lose their balance but he feels that he regains it before Duncan.
The author, Yang Yi, claimed that Camby waited outside of Rocket's locker room to say that to Yao. Sound dramatic isn't it? Think about it, this is the same author that said Shaq waited in front of Rocket's bus to congradulate Yao on his first win in L.A. I wouldn't trust anything about Yao from this Yang, who is a 'journalist' who like to give his/her work a touch of drama....
Well, I think even Yao himself can't understand why he suddenly can score 17 to 20pts within 28 mins so easily. I can't understand either. Yes, sure, it is just preseason, but sometimes people do have difficulty to realize how much improvement he actually made. I think it take couple games for Yao to truely believe in himself.
You can certainly find drama from this Yang's article, but from what I've seen so far, this guy always has some authentic and unique information about Yao Ming. As he claimed (and I think he does not lie), he is one of very few people Yao Ming trusts and treats as friends. How much credibility his article has we don't know, but I really think Yao Ming endores what this Yang says.
But a columnist from ESPN also mentioned that Shaq did speak to Yao after that game. I don't remember which article though. Sohu.com and Sina.com are biggest sites in China linke Yahoo and MSN in US. That Yang Yi guy had quite a lot articles about Yao with some unique information on those sites. Sohu also sponsered Yao's official website. I haven't seen Yao complained about this guy on the BBs there. So I think the guy should have some credibility.
I think Camby should worry more about staying healthy and worry more about being a NEVER WAS type of player in the NBA. I can't even remember the last time Camby was injury free. Drink you milk Camby.
I hope Yao enjoy the reading too. I do give some credibility to Yang. Just thought he (assueme he is a guy) should add a disclaimer at end of his article like ---------------BEGIN------------------- Yang Yi - from School of Artistic Journalism There are dramatization of current events in the article. As to how much, you figure out yourself, blink, blink.... ---------------END----------------------
After the next Nuggets game, this Yang Yi guy would say Camby sneaks into Yao's home when he is sleeping and then whispers into Yao's ear that he hasn't tried his best in the game.
