If Yao does not make ASG game next year in L.A. would he still be able to play in the Rook VS. Soph game since he did not play in this years.
Sorry, Let me elaborate. Next year he will be a sophmore, therefore allowing him the opportunity to play in the Rookie Sophmore game. If you recall Eddie (Scrub) Griffin did not make the Rookie team last year and was dissapointed because it was in Philly. This year they again did not pick him but he was eligible to be picked. However if voting is allowed in China again next year he will start again next year in the All Star Game and every other year for as long as he plays.
At the very least, and health permitting, Yao is clearly the 2nd best C in the WC. I wouldn't worry about him not being in the All Star game anytime soon. And I think NUMBER1HR is correct about the Rook\Soph game.
Yes and No. Yao woulda made the all-star game this year even if it was as a back-up. Health-Permitting, he should be as good or better next year as he was this year. Right now, he is the sscond best center in the west. Heres the math: 2nd best center in the West in Rookie Year+ Healthy in Soph. Year= Second best center in West in Soph. Year= All-star appearance, and no Rookie/Soph. game.
Do you mean Yao would have been on the allstar team if he had been a backup for the Rockets all year? Cause if that's what you mean, then I'd have to disagree..
A vote is a vote, starting or not.... Even if he was still a backup he would have started in the ASG. BIG O Popularity contest....
That's totally wrong. No one would have voted for Yao except 1) us and 2) the chinese.. and man, that's not a lot of votes. Yao's MAIN BODY of support came from the general public in America who have fallen in love with him MOSLTY IN PART because he's starting
I predict the same starting line-up next year. With Ming getting most of the minutes at center. It's Sunset Blvd. for Shaq.
As much as the Chinese love Yao, they aren't prone to adulation. All the coverage of NBA basketball fans in China suggests a guarded optimism about Yao -- they want him to be phenomenal, but they recognize that he's got a long way to go. They're NBA fans, too, and would not have voted for Yao if he were backing up Kelvin Cato. It'd be a national disgrace. Yao got to start because of his popularity in America, and because Americans love a new thing. But this was only possible because he starts for the Rockets. The reason he will be on the All Star team next year is because he will improve during the offseason and be the second best C in the league. Plus, he'll still be pretty popular, so he might even start again next year. But independent of fan voting (this year and next), Yao would have been / will be voted on by the coaches as a backup to the All Star team.
sigh. the chinese votes totalled a VERY VERY small percentage. something like 50000 or so.. they had virtually no bearing on the all star line up this year.
