[Rocky Mountain News]The interest in Yao? Why, it's gigantic

http://www.insidedenver.com/drmn/nuggets/article/0,1299,DRMN_20_3560600,00.html


The interest in Yao? Why, it's gigantic
Rockets center popular as ever

By Clay Latimer, Rocky Mountain News
February 19, 2005

Every day is media day for Yao Ming, but Friday must have seemed endless to the Houston Rockets center.

As soon as he settled into a seat at the Westin Hotel, reporters and television crews surrounded the 7-foot-6 star, including a dozen or so from China, where every move he makes is big news, especially on All-Star Weekend.


"They want to know everything about him: 'What did you have for lunch?' 'How long was your nap today?' " Houston Chronicle reporter Jonathan Feigen said.

At least Yao had some help. Colin Pine, an interpreter who translated Chinese into English, kept things orderly, even as reporters jostled for position.

"Yao is kind of an idol in China," said Wei Cai, a 24-year-old reporter from China.

As long as Chairman Mao Tse-Tung called the shots, idols were unheard of in communist China, and that practice continued in large part after his death.

When a Shanghai woman was the Miss World second runner-up two years ago, the Chinese media ignored it. When novelist Gao Xingjian was awarded the 2000 Nobel Prize for Literature, it barely was acknowledged. But two Chinese newspapers and a TV station sent reporters to Yao's first pre-NBA draft workout.

The Chinese telecast of Yao's first game with the Rockets drew an estimated 300 million viewers - more people than live in the United States. More than 10 reporters covered him throughout his rookie season. Four still cover him on a day-to-day basis, but their focus is more technical in nature now.

"They still want to know everything about him, but they cover him like a basketball player now. They're sportswriters," Fei- gen said.

Added Wei: "(Our) questions are more about basketball. When American journalists ask him questions, they aren't the same questions they ask (other stars)."

The questions didn't always stick to hoops Friday, but Yao probably was prepared for the worst.

At his first All-Star Game two years ago in Atlanta, Yao said: "I would like to leave this state as soon as possible."

Last year in Los Angeles he declared, "After I retire from the NBA, I will probably join the mass media, because I have always been bothered by the mass media. And if I cannot beat them, I will join them."

He repeated that comment Friday, with a wry smile. After all, reporters always will be near. After a recent game, a Sports Illustrated reporter asked Rockets backup center Dikembe Mutombo if he was surprised reporters didn't want to quote him rather than Yao.

"Simple mathematics, my man," Mutombo said. "Mutombo from the Congo, 50 million people. Yao from China, 1.2 billion."