Has everyone noticed the picture on the front page? Are all of the opposing centers in the NBA going to have to grab 7’5” Yao Ming around the waist to keep him from driving around them like a 6’2” point guard? Foul on Antonio Davis! And how about a drive like that from someone 7’5” tall. Most guys 6 or 7 inches shorter than Yao can not handle a ball like that. How many players that tall have ever been able to handle the rock like that? Shawn Bradley? Just ask Dirk Nowitzki. How about Rik Smits? Please don’t make me laugh. Mark Eaton, Manute Bol, Dikembe Mutombo, George Murisan? No! No! No! Only Ralph Sampson stood that tall and could drive the ball like that. So I ask again, how many of the NBA’s centers will have to grab Yao Ming around the waist as he heads to the basket?
You know, several pictures I've seen have someone holding on to Yao. This is a very good point. Probably everyone. Or maybe I just hope everyone.
I have been impressed by Ming's ability to dribble as well. What impressed me even more was that he seems to already have a good idea of when is a good time to dribble, as well as how. He will make a jump shot fake, and then drive past his man. With those long legs, he only needs to take a couple strides to be near the goal, so the ball only needs to hit the floor once, twice at most. Also, for as big as he is, has a deceivingly fast first step. He is by his man in a hurry.
As well as being a great athlete Yao Ming seems to be a student of the game. As Raven Lunatic said Yao Ming just seems to know when to drive, when to shoot and when to pass. That is a quality that very few basketball players have ever had in my oppinion. Those are both qualities that both Bird and Magic had. I don't know that I have ever seen a Rocket that had kind of a sixth sense on the basketball court with the exception of maybe John Lucas. I think Yao is really going to be special.
Man, did ya'll see when they called Yao for traveling(which it wasn't) he pump faked Antonio Davis a drove strait to the goal. I wasn't impressed at HOW he drove, but HOW FAST he drove. I don't know if it was a burst of speed or the length of his legs that got him from Point A(3 point line) to Point B(baseline). If you have the game on tape like me, check it out, you'll be pleasently suprised.
I hope I'm not remembering this wrong, but did any of you catch the move against Team USA where he drove and did an Olajuwon show-you-the ball fake and I think tried to change directions or spin, I can't remember. Anyway, he was called for traveling on the play, but I freaked out someone that huge (outside of Shaq) would even think about doing that.
I was pissed off at the ref, when they called a double dribble and traveling on yao ming.... The chinese coach seen to have no heart for the game.... He didnt had any reaction at all...
