Sacramento Bee: Yao Ming may not be a force right now, but just watch in a few years.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/5440068p-6425390c.html

Yao Ming may not be a force right now, but just watch in a few years.
By Ailene Voisin -- Bee Sports Columnist
Published 2:15 a.m. PST Monday, December 2, 2002


The lessons continue.

His, ours.

In the span of six weeks and 16 games, the Legend of Yao has taken on mystical, mythical and downright ridiculous proportions. Depending upon location -- and, apparently, the availability of satellite television -- the Houston Rockets rookie has been characterized as (a) the worst No. 1 pick in the history of the NBA draft, (b) the game's next great center, (c) the league's hottest young sex symbol, or (d) a human phenomenon for zipping the lips of Charles Barkley, a stunning accomplishment in any language.

But the skeptics better take their shots now, because in two years, Yao Ming will be scoring points, collecting rebounds, compiling assists, blocking shots and, yes, talking trash. He's already talking turkey, though his introduction to early American culture was a bit of a disappointment. (According to team officials, he didn't care for the bird.) Otherwise, after a shaky NBA start that began without a training camp and is continuing with an inaugural tour of league cities, Yao is drawing notice, if not always rave reviews.

Give him time.

Give him all the time he needs.

Give him a few more upper-body pounds, a few more passes from teammates, and a little more experience against Vlade Divac and Shaquille O'Neal, to name a dwindling few, and the center species survives for another generation. "You can tell he is going to be a great player," Divac said after schooling the youngster in the Kings' 103-84 victory Sunday night at Arco Arena. "He is very mobile for someone that big. He has to get stronger, but he definitely can play in this league."

This is particularly good news given the state of affairs, namely that elite centers are becoming extinct, and that American centers have virtually disappeared. Within the past year alone, Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon have retired and Alonzo Mourning has been disabled and, given his chronically aching back, David Robinson might as well be done, too. Provided O'Neal continues to spurn overtures (been there, done that), USA Basketball officials have the unenviable task of selecting a center for the 2004 Olympic team from the likes of Brad Miller, Elden Campbell, the limited, if willing Ben Wallace or forwards Jermaine O'Neal, Elton Brand, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.

No, the best centers on American soil these days are foreign-born stars from Yugoslavia (Divac), Congo (Dikembe Mutombo), Lithuania (Zydrunas Ilgauskas), England (Michael Olowokandi) and, now, China (Yao). And while Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich is delighted about having led the USA to the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he is even more grateful that the Games are over and that he has the prize of the 2002 draft. That would be Yao. That would also be the game's most heralded rookie center since Shaq.

"The analogy I like to use is that, here's a guy running and trying to catch a train as it moves, trying to keep pace," said Tomjanovich. "But his progress has been terrific. The things we see, his shot-making, his feel for the game, his passing ... he has it all. And he's a joy to be around."

A few fast facts about the Big Guy: He bit off a turkey leg but wasn't crazy about his first Thanksgiving meal. He is eager to see the new James Bond movie, "but I haven't had time." He is lifting weights for the first time in his 22 years, experiencing travel like never before, and in spite of his occasional struggles against, say, a Divac, has Tomjanovich and other members of the Rockets' traveling party walking on air when not getting getting pummeled to earth.

In fact, though the Shanghai native has had dominant games against the Shaq-less Lakers and the Shawn Bradley-led Dallas Mavericks (30 points), his performance against the Kings was more characteristic of his season -- rich with promise and the occasional flash of potential greatness.

Yep, it's obvious. Yao has all the goods. But the difference between Sunday night and so many other nights thus far is the caliber of the competition: Vlade has game and all the goods, and as he has proven throughout his career, he enjoys a challenge as much as the next guy. Perhaps more than the next guy. He reads the papers, watches the highlights, hears the comments. He couldn't wait.

Though forced to look upward all night, the Kings' wily 7-foot-1 veteran displayed his own nifty repertoire. He ran the floor and dunked. He spun around Yao and scored on a reverse. He contested and blocked shots. "My old tricks," he said, grinning. "You know, I watch some high school games here and in L.A., and I see these big, strong kids, and all they do is dunk. Nobody teaches them the fundamentals. But in Europe and overseas, they still teach those things. So it is good to see a 7-footer with those skills come into the league. There aren't too many of us left."