According to this article, there are concerns that Yao Ming is waiting to see which team picks him. China reportedly wants him to go to a city with a large Chinese population. There's also a concern that if Shanghai doesn't win another championship, he won't come to the NBA. There are several posters here that are drooling over the chance of drafting him, but is there a risk of him deciding to stay in China? http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/13702.htm BENOIT SAYS MING CAN MAKE HUGE IMPACT IN NBA By MARC BERMAN -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- YAO MING Gets rave reviews. April 4, 2002 -- PORTLAND - Former Net David Benoit is still trying to get back in the NBA, possibly with the Knicks, but for now he can help GM Scott Layden with special insight on 7-6 Chinese center Yao Ming. The veteran Benoit, who played for Layden in Utah, signed three weeks ago with the Shanghai Sharks as a hired gun for the playoffs to help Ming bring the city its first Chinese Basketball Association championship. After being Ming's teammate since early March and talking English with him on the plane, there's no doubt in Benoit's mind Ming will be an NBA All-Star, and even compared him to Shaquille O'Neal. "I'm amazed by him how agile he is, how he is able to move and run the floor," Benoit told The Post in a phone interview Tuesday from his Shanghai residence. "He's not like Shawn Bradley. He's the exact opposite. If anything, he's more like Shaq. He's not a 7-5 stiff. He can really move. He's got great feet." Benoit also said he believes Ming will be released from his contract to play in the NBA next season only if Shanghai wins a championship. NBA commissioner David Stern, speaking on MSG Network's "Angles" Tuesday, is concerned Ming is waiting to see which team picks him. Reportedly, Chinese officials want him in a big market with a sizable Chinese population, such as New York. "I really believe we have to win a championship for him to go," Benoit said. The Sharks are in the best-of-five semifinals, leading the series 1-0 over Jilin. The Chinese Army team has won the last five titles and is expected to meet Shanghai in next week's final. Benoit, 34, says he was signed because Shanghai wanted a defensive small forward against the Chinese Army as a complement to Ming. Ming, 22, is expected to be either the first or second pick in the June 26 draft. Benoit predicted Ming should be No. 1 over Duke point guard Jason Williams. The Knicks can assure their lottery reservations tonight with a loss in Portland coupled with a victory by Indiana. "These guys don't come along every day," said Benoit, who played for the Jazz from 1991-1995 and again last season. "He's an agile guy like Shaq. He shoots 3's like [Arvydas] Sabonis. And if you're not careful, he'll dribble by you. It's a nice package. He's so big, his head is right there by the rim. I don't have to go for a rebound, I just go back. I'm amazed every day watching him." Benoit doesn't think it'll take Ming more than one season to elevate to All-Star level. "[The physical game] would be the only thing I see he'd have to work on," said Benoit, who played for John Calipari's Nets from 1996-98. "It will take a year's time to make that adjustment. It won't take him long. He's a smart kid. But he'll still definitely make an impact his first year."
This kind of stuff makes me want to vimit. Myswell pencil in NYC as winning the draft and taking Ming already.
i feel like vimiting too...but houston has street signs in chinese for the love of god. (and when i say god i mean langhi of course). houston has a very large chinese community...
I wonder what would happen if Ming was drafted by Denver or Memphis. Don't be surprised if Golden State wins the lottery...it wouldn't look obvious and Ming would be across the bay from probably the largest Chinese population in the US (San Francisco).
From what I understand, Houston has the largest Chinese community next to NYC and San Francisco (You know he ain't goin' to Golden State).
first of all, isnt golden state tired of hyped up big men in the lottery, and second, i am Vietnamese, and let me tell ya, the Chinese are very abundant, however, the Vietnamese population in Houston is the second biggest in the nation. Too bad there isnt a 7-6, agile, Vietnamese center we can pick up
From the CIA 2000 Fact Book: <b>First</b>, We pass the unmentined "Who has Diplomatic Representation" test there are only 5 cities with diplomatic representation (ie, a consulate): LA SF NY Chicago Houston <b>second</b>: we are ranked 10th in population. (3rd in Vietnamese, as an aside.) <b>third</b>, we are growing the fastest from Texas Dept of Transportation Just think, maybe they don't want him near ground zero, nor to they want the NY journalist to criticize him. We'd love him. He would become a symbol of Houston and Chinese-American Culture. In NY, he'd just be a novelty.
in new york his face would be printed on the side of cardboard boxes containing sweet and sour pork being sold at the garden...mmmmmm american versions of chinese food... must leave work soon and hit a buffet...
I've got some Japanese blood from my moms side. If DC or NY wins the lotto, something fishy is in the air. If Houston wins the lotto, all is well and good in the world.
What Azn Baller said. Bellaire Blvd from Gessner to the Beltway, has a huge influx of Chinese people and businesses. It may not be NY or SF, but it's still good enough. Besides, do the other cities have Gen Joe's?
I think Chicago will take him and unless the Windy City weather is a concern, he'll go. On the surface it would seem like a mistake, but imagine this. You are a GM with the rights to Yao, Chandler and Curry and your investment is the CBA mandated rookie minimum. If only one of them is successful, it was a good deal. If two of them are succcessful, you have the foundation of the Dream/Sampson juggernaut. And if all three become quality players, you take the best offer for the most expendable of the three. If it happens, we at CC.NET are going to be very sick of listening to gettingbranded....or will they become "gettingminged"?
That Vietnamese population is misleading a little because there are quite of few Vietnamese chinese people (Chinese people who immigrated to Vietnam and then to the US after the war). In the census they are considered vietnamese but in reality they are chinese. I guess you can call them Chinese Vietnamese Americans. However, I think Vietnamese Rocket fans would welcome Yao Ming also.
Only Third???? That's hard to swallow lol I live next to the casinos in Lake Charles, la and asians (mostly Vietnamese) would have to acount for at least 7 out of 10 ppl that walk through the door
IMO, the League will find a way to place Ming in NY. A couple of possible scripts: 1) His value is talked down in the media leading up to the draft (which is being held in NY, btw) so that NY can make him a surprise pick at the 7 slot. This talk may also include rumors that he will not be released from his contract for several years, ala Jake Tsakalidis. 2) A brilliant trade is manufactured by Scott Layden to acquire Ming, with NBA brass forcing the other team's hand behind the scenes of course. 3) The NBA just shamelessly works it so that NY got lucky and won the first pick.
I read that yesterday too...if there is even an inkling that Ming is really waiting to see who takes him, I think he should be declared ineligible to enter the NBA. Yao Ming entering the NBA draft, given the possibility that he may or may not play this year, or the next (or ever for that matter) could really open the NBA up to a lot of scrutiny. If they let this guy enter the draft and make his own rules as far as who he will play for and when he will play etc, then why can't every basketball player in the US from the age of 5-50 be eligible to be drafted regardless of whether they declare for the draft or not. If you are going to let a foriegn player declare for the draft and then decide AFTERWARDS what he wants to do, then you have to give American players the same option. (ie Lebron James, Mike Dunleavy, Chris Wilcox etc)
