Shaq says something along the lines of Yao was the only one that really tested him and puts him in the same category as Dream. This is NBA tv interview he had:
Let's not forget that the refs absolutely screwed Yao night in and night out... they had no idea how to call him.
Perhaps, but there were multiple runs in his career where he was bordering on being one of the top 4 or 5 players in the league before injuries would derail him. Look at how his career was trending up until 2006-07. In the first half of 06/07 he was perhaps trending to be an MVP candidate. He was certainly the best center in the game by that point. That was peak Yao. I love the lip reading: “you can’t f-ing stop me”
if yao had been able to play physical with the same leeway shaq was given, he would have scored 30+ per night. he was just so huge that no one in the league could hold him.
Yao was one of the most skilled man of all time. Unfortunately, he put on too much weight on a league to dominated the block right as the league changed to more perimeter based play. Had he kept leaner he would have still dominated the block on size and be fast enough to avoid foul trouble without the injuries. Then again, China ruined him with his summer play. He just broke down, too much pounding for a man that big.
I agree with both the big fella adding too much weight, and also with Yao not having enough time off during the summer due to his obligation to play for the Chinese national team. Yao wanted to play for the national team, but he also needed time to recharge after the long NBA season. It was very frustrating. He should have been able to find that balance between the two. American and European players, in the main, seem to. I always felt that Yao ended up playing far too much. All in the past now, but good memories of his elite play when he was healthy. One of the greats.
I would have liked to see Yao in the current basketball era. I think it would have been interesting. The touch on his shot was elite, especially for the time. Today they would have let him stretch that range out to 3 which they never would have back then. He still has the post moves but letting him play more on the perimeter could have extended his career. He wasn’t a tremendous shot blocker but he was always a really well positioned and smart defender, I think he would still be able to compete on that end, similar to Jokic, despite the modern style of play.
A top form Yao Ming could win a chip with the right squad around him. He was heavy footed, but consistent and solid. 41 points in one game was a nice highlight. Overall, he was unselfish and a supremely good human in the club house. Proud to have him as a career Rocket.
THIS^^^^^^^ X 100. Great ambassador, helluva player, what a guy...LA was a beaten team. We were on our way to a title when he went down. Ever so slightly overrated as a player, but his impact went way beyond that.
Yao was far better than some of you remember, but I'll give this point to his detractors.... He was slow to the ball, so you needed an expert throwing an entry pass. He was very dependent on his teammates in that way. If he would have played today, staying thin and lean and utilizing his outside shooting touch, it would have solved a lot of those issues. He very likely would have played longer without as much weight on him. I think facing Shaq colored his and the coaches thinking more than was reasonable.
