Chron: Yao quickly grasps basic system at first practice

The physicals I've taken have been like that, or even shorter. But I think they test for more things in this situation. They may test his blood and other things, which could take a while to get results. I don't know though. This is just an assumption.

 

If they were showing him the dump it in ISO, then Colin Pine could learn it faster than Boylan could dish it out...

Grasping the fundamentals of that offense takes about a nanosecond. I see they wanted him to see it from the guards perspective too by chucking up 20 footers... I wonder if Steve was posting up and they doubled off Ming on that twenty footer...

 

Here is the AP report:


Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2002
Yao Gets NBA Feel in First Practice


HOUSTON (AP) - Yao Ming walked onto the court for his first NBA
practice Monday and promptly missed his first jumper. He did make
his first shot at the free throw line, however.
Before long, the NBA's No. 1 draft pick was chatting with
Houston Rockets guard Steve Francis during stretching exercises.
Later, he was exchanging high-fives with his new teammates, who
can't wait to get him ready to play.
The 7-foot-5 center joined the team prior to Sunday night's game
against Orlando and said he'd be ready to play in Wednesday night's
exhibition at San Antonio, or else Thursday, when the Rockets host
the Philadelphia 76ers in their final preseason game.
``I think so, but it's best to ask the coach,'' Yao said.
Yao noticed immediately that the NBA is a quicker game than
international basketball.
``It's really fast,'' he said. ``How quickly? I guess every time
we (the Chinese team) were waiting for the shot clock to get to
eight seconds. Here, maybe only 10 seconds or maybe 15 seconds to
shoot. But I like it ... a lot of shooting.''
Yao was with the national team until Oct. 13, when China was
upset by South Korea in the championship of the Asian Games. After
working out an agreement with the China Basketball Association that
will guarantee his home country the right to bring him back for
international tournaments, Yao received his visa and reported to
the Rockets on Sunday night.
Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich won't say when Yao would get into
a game. ``We've got to be careful not to throw the weight of the
world on this guy,'' Tomjanovich said.
But the coach did have Yao on the court for the scrimmage
portion of Monday's workout, and he was an attentive student.
Although he spoke frequently in English, interpreter Collin Pine
was by his side to lend assistance.
``We have to understand that, even (for) the players that have
played in the U.S. and been through summer league and in their
towns working out, it's still a big jump to the NBA,'' Tomjanovich
said. ``I'm sure he's going to have some adjustments to make.''
Yao is quickly adjusting to the idea of living in America.
``Yesterday (Sunday) in San Francisco one guy asked, 'Can I have
your autograph?' and he said 'I live in Houston,''' Yao said. ``I
told him I live in Houston too. I just haven't been there.''


The first sentence is "promptly missed his first shot." Amazing how people still want to diss him!

 

Wasn't Mattress Mac one of the driving forces behind Westside? Mac needs to address this bedding issue!

And save Yao $ !

 

You mean "very nice" as in ( . )( . ) "very nice!" right?

So she's hot, right? Right?