Chron: Yao quickly grasps basic system at first practice

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/1627317

Oct. 21, 2002, 10:42PM

Yao quickly grasps basic system at first practice
By JANNY HU
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle

Fresh off seven hours of sleep in a bed he described as "not very big," Yao Ming was up and alert Monday morning as he practiced for the first time with the Rockets.

Equally astir was his sense of humor.

When asked if he felt at home in Houston, Yao answered in near perfect English:

"Yesterday, I was in San Francisco. One guy asked me if (he) can have autograph. He said, `I live in Houston.' I told him I live in Houston, too, but not yet."

Yao certainly looked at home at the Rockets' practice facility, wearing a white top and blue shorts -- standard workout attire that somehow seemed unique stretched over his 7-5 frame.

He smiled and interacted with Steve Francis after the Rockets guard trotted across court to be alongside Yao during stretching exercises. And later, he displayed a quiet confidence while walking through some basic offensive schemes.

"I don't think he could have had a better workout, considering he didn't know anything about our system coming in," said coach Rudy Tomjanovich. "It's all new, and there's so much detail. We have numerous plays and terminology, and one word can change a whole play around.

"It's a learning process that's going to take time. We just have to be really careful not to throw the weight of the world on him."

Yao already bears the double burden of being a No. 1 draft pick and a national icon, but he has deflected the attention with quick wit and now basketball. He participated in a light shootaround before the Rockets ran their offensive drills and an upbeat half-court scrimmage.

The only scary moment Monday came when Yao landed on a teammate and tweaked his left foot, the same foot he sprained during the finals of the Asian Games last week. Rockets trainer Keith Jones said although the foot was a little tender, Yao was just fine.

"I'm not very tired. I'm excited, really excited," said Yao, who felt no ill effects from his foot or Sunday's 15-hour trans-Pacific flight. "When the coaches were first teaching me, everything was abstract. Now, it makes a lot more sense."

The Rockets dusted off the old playbook for Yao's introduction to Rockets 101. Resurrecting a few schemes from the Hakeem Olajuwon days, coaches drilled Yao on setting picks on opposing big men and gaining ideal post position.

With guard Tito Maddox, Yao executed a simple pick-and-roll, which he finished off with a light two-handed dunk, before tackling a few plays the Rockets had drawn up to take advantage of double teams against him.

"Those are things we used when we had Hakeem -- when you have a big post-up guy," said assistant coach Jim Boylen. "We're looking for post-up situations where he can get the ball and create for someone else. He has a high basketball IQ. Every time he caught the ball, he looked to the opposite side. He was seeing who he could pass it to.

"I felt like he was a step ahead of me, like I was going too slow."

Interpreter Colin Pine stood near Yao during the drills but provided more support than actual translation as Yao almost single-handedly grasped the fundamentals of the Rockets' offense.

While Yao would like to play on Wednesday night against San Antonio and Tomjanovich said he "liked the thought," the Rockets are staying mum regarding when he will officially be in the lineup.

Tomjanovich said he would assess Yao's progress day by day, and the center still needs to complete his physical, which was begun during the second half of Sunday's game and could take until Friday to finish.

Oh, and in case you're keeping track, Yao missed his first shot as a Rocket. His 20-foot jumper clanked off the back of the iron.

 

Karl Stolleis /Chronicle
The Houston Rockets newest addition and first round draft pick Yao Ming warms up along with a grinning Moochie Norris Monday at the Rockets' practice facility at Westside Tennis Club