Chronicle Article Yao on continent as signing nears By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- As inconspicuously as a 7-5 basketball star from Shanghai bound for Houston and in Western Canada to prepare for competition in Indianapolis can, Yao Ming on Wednesday moved at least a continent closer to the Rockets. Jet-lagged and time-crunched, Yao and the Chinese national team arrived quietly for the first of two tuneups -- Friday's exhibition against the Canadian national team -- for this month's World Championships. Yao declined to speak with the media, citing his coaches' wishes, at the Vancouver airport and team hotel. But it was the player not with the team who spoke volumes about the next step in the Rockets' efforts to make Yao, the first player taken in this year's NBA draft, their center. Wang Zhizhi, the Mavericks' free-agent forward, did not accompany the Chinese team. The Shanghai Daily reported Tuesday that Wang, the third member of China's "Great Walking Wall" with Yao and Nuggets reserve Mengke Bateer, was "dropped" from the Chinese team, but he is listed as a "reserve." A source in Vancouver said that although Wang will not play Friday, there is a chance he could rejoin the team, calling his participation in next week's exhibition against the United States and in the World Championships "uncertain." Without quite interfering, Wang's absence from Chinese practices this summer has hung over negotiations designed to allow Yao to sign with the Rockets. Sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said this week the tense negotiations to return Wang to the Chinese team have delayed the final clearance from the China Basketball Association necessary for Yao to sign with the Rockets. The sources stressed Wang's case, no matter how it develops, will not prevent Yao from receiving the necessary clearance and that it is not considered an obstacle. But the Rockets have not received the approval necessary, sources said, because of concerns about how it would appear in Beijing to officially green-light Yao's jump to the NBA while difficult talks with Wang were ongoing. Rockets general counsel Michael Goldberg, the team's lead negotiator with Chinese officials, was unavailable for comment Wednesday. He had said he was confident final approval would come and hoped it would arrive in time for Yao to sign his contract while in the United States this month. After facing Steve Nash and the Canadian team Friday, the Chinese national team is scheduled to train in Denver before arriving in Oakland on Oct. 21 to face the United States in an exhibition the next night. After several more days of training in Denver, the Chinese team is schedule to arrive in Indianapolis on Oct. 27 for the start of the World Championships on Oct. 29. Goldberg said he received Yao's official release from the Shanghai Sharks last month and, after delivering the release to officials in Beijing, was told there were no negotiations left before the CBA would forward the release, making Yao available to sign to play for the Rockets next season. But for now, the primary concern of Chinese officials is preparing for the World Championships, rather than the start of Yao's NBA career. Yao is expected to receive a contract worth $3,858,240 next season and $15,690,219 over four years. Because his contract will be dictated by the league's collective bargaining agreement, there will not have to be negotiations with the Rockets on Yao's first NBA deal once the official clearance arrives. Yao, 21, led the Sharks to the China Basketball Association championship last season, averaging 32.4 points and 19 rebounds. He made 72.1 percent of his shots and 75.9 percent of his free throws last season. The 7-5, 297-pounder was a member of the 2000 China Olympic team at 19 years old, averaging 10.5 points and six rebounds while making 63.9 percent of his shots. After a 10-hour flight from Beijing that had it battling the effects of the 14-hour time difference, the Chinese team held a late-afternoon practice Wednesday before attending an informal welcome reception Wednesday night. The Canadian and Chinese teams attended, and the first interaction came when Yao gathered Canadian players Nate Doornekamp, Josh Poirier and Rob Smart for a game of pool. After every missed shot during the extremely jovial competition, Yao stopped to pose for pictures or sign autographs. The Chinese team is scheduled for two practices today. "We are happy to be here but very tired," a team spokesman said. "The team is looking forward to our stay here." There's your poster boy...signing autographs and smiling for the camera between shots in a game of pool.
it all goes back to cuban being jealous that we have a bigger and better ticket seller than his international club. first he tries to steal rashard from us, then he tries to sabotage the yao nagotiations. whats next cuban?!?
