http://sports.sohu.com/83/59/sports_news164575983.shtml I think this is the first one after the draft night.
According to the interviewer, this interview happened yesterday. A pretty lengthy one, but not a lot of new stuff. Something I find interesting: 1. Ask: NBA seems to have a rule that veterans like to give rookies hard time. Are you prepared for this? Answer: doesn't it happen in CBA, too? 2. Ask: your English is very good. Answer: don't put such a big label on me. Yes we had foreign players (american) in Shanghai sharks and we learned from each other. But my English has a long shot to go. Ask: then is language the biggest barrier to play NBA? Answer: I think so. But language like english is not an acdemic goal for me but only a tool. playing basketball is kind of different story. 3. Ask: you were pick the first in the draft and how do you think this will influence your national team teammates. Answer: I don't know. But I envied Wang Zhizhi when he made NBA that year. 4. Ask: your idol? Answer: no perfect idol exists fro me because I am a perfectionist. Barkley has gone an uneasy way and I respect him a lot. Olajuwan is good and his center skill is my goal. This is what I think at this minute.
Some key points in that article. Pardon the bad translation: Yao thinks that English is the biggest barrier for him to play in the NBA. He expects 5-6 years of adjustment before playing with ease. He started watching the NBA games in 1994, and had thoughts on playing in the NBA in 1998. That year he played in the USA, and found out he was no worse than the young players there. Yao also commented on the lack of chemistry in the Chinese national team. He implied that the reason he has better chemistry with another particular guard is that guard played with him in the Sharks, and therefore is used to give him the "cannon ball". He also admires the fire in Barkley and the skills of Olajuwon. The thing he wants to tell the fans is:" Challenge doesn't assure success, but giving up assures failure."
Having been ripped by Barkley on national TV, Ming shows a lot of class by saying he still respects him.
not sure if its the translater being kind or what, but yao ming sounds really smart. he's my favourite rocket so far.
This guy could make the All Interview team without speaking a word of english. Some of these quotes are pretty thought-provoking, and when's the last time you've heard "thought-provoking" and "NBA" in the same conversation? ...never.
If I may, the original Q&A went like this: Q: To a lot of basketball fans, you're their idol. Anything to say to them here? Yao: I'd tell them this - I saw inside a gym when I went to Taiwan for a basketball tournament in 1998: "Trying hard does not promise success, but giving up guarantees failure." He did not come up with it himself, but he surely did use it very well! Like CD & RT said before, people and media here will love him.
I remember Chuck saying he didn't think Ming should have been the # 1 pick, that it will take him 3 years to have an impact, that he hopes he does well, and that a lot of people are gonna be looking to make a lot of money off of him and that he hoped that kind of stress didn't mess him up. Yeah, Barkley's an ass, how could he totally dis Ming like that.
How is that "ripping" Ming? He just said exactly what everyone else said about him. He will take a couple of seasons and how could you not worry about the guy getting ripped off financially, hell he has already lost half his salary to the Reds
