By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle INDIANAPOLIS -- As trying as the World Basketball Championships have been for Yao Ming and the Chinese National Team, Yao's move to his next team appears ready to go more smoothly. Yao will not physically join the Rockets until mid-October when he completes his participation in the Asian Games in South Korea. But Rockets general counsel Michael Goldberg said Monday he has been told that the China Basketball Association has no issues with the Rockets and Yao could receive the final clearance necessary to sign his rookie contract with the Rockets next week. "I've heard there's no issues with the Rockets," Goldberg said. "They've got to finish discussions with Erick (Zhang, Yao's representative) and Yao Ming. There's no issues with the Rockets. I'm confident there will be an agreement with them. I'm hoping it can be done next week." CBA commissioner Xin Lancheng is in Indianapolis with the Chinese National team. Zhang said he has met with Xin, but that their talks were informal and "mostly about basketball." "I don't see any difficulties at this point," Zhang said. "I don't see any major difficulties." The same could not be said for Yao's Chinese National team. Argentina, fast becoming a medal favorite, easily rolled past China 95-71. Although he did not have the foul problems that limited his playing time in the first round, Yao played just 28 minutes, and was usually excluded from the Chinese offense. With Argentina's quick backcourt pressing all over the court, Yao could take only two shots in the first half. He began the second half with a strong baseline move and finished with 11 points and eight rebounds. Agreement with Yao on his first contract is considered a formality. When the Rockets receive the official clearance needed from the China Basketball Association, Yao is expected to receive a contract worth $3,858,240 next season, and $15,690,219 over four years. The Rockets had hoped Yao could sign with the team prior to the World Championships. But a source in Vancouver, where China faced Canada in an exhibition, said last month that the CBA did not want to officially approve Yao's jump to the NBA while negotiating with Wang Zhi Zhi about playing in the World Championships. Though Wang was not added to the Chinese National team, Zhang and Goldberg said they have been assured that Wang's case no longer affects Yao's signing with the Rockets. "I've known it all along," Goldberg said. "I felt comfortable. I had things in writing. I understand what is going on. Nobody has any worries. I'm hopeful we'll have some news by the end of the week."
windandsea, I have a question for you? Lets say that Ming comes to the NBA and really blossums into a rising star. Then he returns home to play in future chinesse tournaments. Do you think he will have a reality check, like Wang, that his formal coaches are a joke? That his guards are a joke? That the entire system he has learned, is a joke? Not that he would defect, only that deep down he knows training with the national team is a joke. Just curious.
This is encouraging news.Hopefully Yao should sign a contract with us very shortly and then the CBA should move quickly to get FIBA clearance.
I think part of the Chinese Association's plan might be to get some ideas from Yao Ming on how to run an offence. But I think that might be kinda hard to implement because it would probably undermine the coach's status... and i don't think the chinese guards would like the idea of providing Yao Ming the chance to get all the glory by putting his offensive skills to use..
Well, hopefully, that's the point of the relationship forming between the Rockets and China. They need input on coaching, training, muscle building, etc. They're going to get it. Still, if they've been playing ball so long, why does their strategy suck so fundamentally? Are they willing to learn?
A little China Bball history: 5 years ago, China had some good backcourt players, it was the front court that's lacking. That was why CBA was very excited when they discovered the 3 centers. Unfortunately for China, those old players retire, appearantly the new ones ain't as good as old ones, let along US player.
This article is so timely (see http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?threadid=40619), Mr Feigan must read CC.net regularly. Thanks for the good work, keep it coming
Suppose there'll be no major international games next year, Yao Ming may spend the whole summer in the States. So great and we'll see him making steady progress! Better sign him before he leaves for China. Just wanna see him in the NEW uniform!
I hope Feigen's right on this one. Rich Bucher's ESPN column (in the And Ones section) included the following worry: "Would the NBA rather have Yao Ming or Wang Zhi Zhi playing next season? That's the question Chinese authorities are expected to pose. Talk about Wang returning to Dallas -- which will not happen in any event, a source says -- or signing elsewhere doesn't take into account how upset the Chinese are that Wang didn't report to the national-team training camp. Rest assured the Chinese Basketball Association will withdraw approval for Yao to play if the NBA allows Wang to become a millionaire after he defied their authority." Think he's just working off of old news? Scary.
oh, btw, that's a Sept. 1 Bucher column. Sorry I left that out. (am I padding my post stats like Moses used to pad his rebound stats by continually missing short shots?)
My bad. Severe Rockets Fan already started a thread, "this is a bit disturbing," for the Bucher babble. see discussion there.
Well To address the question to WindandSea: It is obvious that Wang discovered the difference in preparing in the U.S. versus preparing in China..enough so that Wang refused to come back.. I think Ming will see this after one year in the NBA as well.. He's already said that he wants to be a better NBA player..as a competitor he will have to decide whether it is more important for him to become better or fulfill duties in China and not improve as much..my guess is it will take a few years before Ming finally says enough of this I need to stay here and train!
saleem:- The FIBA Clearance is required 'before' the Rox can sign Yao Ming.The FIBA give permission that its OK. for a foreign player to come into and sign up in our Leagues.It would be a great problem for the Rox to sign first and not get him. Even though the CBA promised that there won't be a problem. I will believe it when it happens! China would indeed loose face if they (CBA) changed their mind.
