Sept. 30, 2002, 8:28PM New-look Rockets ready for training camp Associated Press Yao Ming impressed his Houston Rockets teammates-to-be Monday, even if he was only in two dimensions. A life-sized poster of the 7-foot-6 Chinese basketball star was on the wall in a practice gym as the team posed for pictures, chatted with reporters and prepared to begin training camp in Austin on Tuesday. Everyone was there except Yao, who isn't expected in camp until later in October after fulfilling his Chinese commitment to the Asian Games. The poster was impressive enough for some. "Look at his legs. They're like tree trunks," coach Rudy Tomjanovich marveled, dismissing concerns the 296-pound Yao might get pushed around by physical NBA centers looking to school the No. 1 overall draft pick. Reserve guard and official team comedian Moochie Norris shadow-dribbled toward the Yao poster and pretended to post up on his future teammate, a horrible mismatch if it ever happens in practice. While much of the talk centers on Yao, Tomjanovich says he's just glad to see several of his returning players back on their feet again. Houston, wracked by injuries up and down its roster last season, went 28-54. Forward Maurice Taylor was lost to a right Achilles tendon injury before the season started, then Glen Rice was out after just 20 games with a partial tendon tear in his right knee. On top of that, star point guard Steve Francis missed 25 games with left foot injury, a strained right shoulder and debilitating migraine headaches. Francis has healed from his injuries and is successfully treating the headaches, and says he's ready to start earning his new six-year contract that could pay $90 million. "I just think it's time, it's time for us to be in the playoffs," said Francis, the No. 2 overall pick in the 1999 draft who never has tasted the postseason in three years as the Rockets rebuild. Team owner Les Alexander is a little more bullish, often calling it "one of the great teams ever assembled" in the last few weeks. He reiterated his belief Monday. "The intention (of hailing the team) was to send a message to the people of Houston and the nation," said Alexander, who lamented that the impending arrival of Yao and the last season at Compaq Center haven't sparked season ticket sales. An associate had advice for Alexander concerning the box office: "Players don't sell tickets, winning does," Alexander said. However, the team hopes if Yao's addition doesn't sell more tickets it will at least help sell some Chinese beer. On Monday, the Rockets announced the team's official import beer will be China's popular Yanjing Beer. "Having a high-profile international draft pick such as Yao Ming on the Rockets roster allows our organization to offer corporate partners a rare international marketing opportunity with unprecedented potential," said Tad Brown, the team's vice president of corporate development. Yao isn't the team's only newcomer. The Rockets also are excited about Slovenian forward Bostjan Nachbar, another first-round pick, and also will give rookie guard Tito Maddox a shot to earn a job. Tomjanovich noted that all three are still college age -- Yao and Nachbar would be seniors and Maddox would be a junior-- and second-year high school draftee Eddie Griffin would be a sophomore. Mostly, the coach says he's anticipating being able to use the same lineups day in, day out, as long as the injury bug doesn't bite again. "What I'm really excited about is that thing called continuity," he said. The Rockets, back-to-back world champions in 1994 and 1995, haven't been to the playoffs since a first-round loss to the Lakers in 1999. Taylor, who says he shed about 50 pounds and is feeling fit, says the owner's words are meaningless in October. "I know Les is excited about the talent we have," Taylor said. "But we have to prove it."
