HoopsVibe Article: Yao at All-NBA Third-Team a Surprise

Finally, a writer who knows what he's talking about. I also liked how he picked KG over Melo, and pointed out the stupidity behind the Kaman, Okur, and Rasheed votes. I'm just stunned that people that stupid can have the right to vote on the All-NBA Teams.

 

For that matter, who would reject a trade of Yoa for Shaq at this point...other than the Rockets of course?

 

its mr.yao... cant believe after 3 season they still can't tell his last name from first.

 

Although I agree with his premise (that Yao should have been 2nd team over Ben), his justification is weak. Few would hesitate to trade Wallace for Yao? That's a testament to Yao's value/potential/youth and has little to do with their respective performances this year.

 

I've actually been wondering about that for some time.
Why is he referred to as Yao Ming and not Ming Yao? Can someone explain.

 

Even if you just take into consideration this year's performance, most people would take Yao over Wallace. Yao was doing decently in the first 1/2 of the season, and then much, much better than Wallace in the second 1/2.

 

In China (as well as most of East Asia) it is customary to address someone last name first. Most of us Chinese in the West have changed that to conform to Western standards, but Yao hasn't, and thus has all the media people confused. They'll probably never actually figure it out.

 

Well, say it would be a one-year rental. The Pistons would still be better off with Yao at center than Wallace. And the Rockets would be much worse off with Wallace instead of Yao.

 

Yea, I completely agree, Yao had a better year than Wallace, I was just saying that his evidence that they would trade Wallace for Yao didn't support his argument.

 

If you ask the GMs in the league to choose among Shaq, Wallace, and Yao as their starting center, I can guarantee you that more than 80% of them would choose Yao.

It's a no brainer. People keep saying that Shaq was saving himself for the playoffs. Well, all he did in the playoffs this year is to have 1-2 very good (not great games) and a couple of subpar/truly awful games. His days of dominance are over. He was a great player but not any more.

 

Unbelieveable. What a joke.

On the bright side...In time no one will have that perception. Yao will wipe it from their minds.

 

In the US, The last name is the surname, but in China the first name is the surname. That is where the confusion came in. Initially, I was also confused like a lot of people and refers to Yao as Mr Ming. Now I know Yao Ming is to be referred as MR YAO!

 

Perhaps Americans and the League are so nice to accustom themselves to this tradition in East Asia?

Actually not only China, Korea, Japan and people from many other countries have their Surnames first.

Other samples in NBA,

Ha, Seung-jin (from Korea)
Wang, ZhiZhi

 

Is ALL-NBA teams selected by who the best players are while they're on the court, or by who provides the most value for their teams over the course of the season? Yao is first or second team by the first criteria (along with Shaq, and ahead of Wallace). By the second criteria, I think Ben Wallace has a clear edge, since he played 1000 more minutes.

 

To save some BBS spaces in the future, I hope my comment can clarify this naming confusion once and for all. If it's really redundant, please delete it, mod.

In the Chinese language, both written and speaking, family name is placed before given name. For example, in China our center is addressed as "Yao Ming", "Mr. Yao Ming", or "Mr. Yao". Also using family name alone (such as "Yao") is often but strictly in very informal situation. And same as in America, never use "Mr. Given-name".

How about given name alone, such as "Ming"? In Chinese, if the given name has only one word( as in Yao's case, along with maybe 25% of Chinese population), then it's Not the appropriate way, neither in written nor in speaking. Only exceptions are between couples, parents to children, and other extremely rare occasions. So yeah, saying "Ming" alone is not correct. But if a person's given name has two Chinese words(roughly 70% of Chinese population), then given name alone is perfectly fine and popular, but mostly by family members or acquaintances, carrying a flavor of affection or fondness, in informal situation. Example, "zhizhi" in Wang Zhizhi's case.

Because "Yao Ming" is developed into a brand name in two countries, how to address the player is a problem for American writers. "Mr. Ming Yao" or "Ming Yao", while being correct English, sound very strange to all of Chinese and many Americans. I think it's fine that writers go with the flow with "Mr. Yao Ming" or "Yao Ming". It all depends on what name is publicized when things get started. "Jackie Chen" sounds all right to Chinese too. Just avoid these three: "Mr. Ming", "Ming", "Ming Yao".

Now please go back to the original topic of the thread!

PS. the 25%, 70% above could be 30% and 65%, just an estimate.