How did we not see this coming? BY: Jack McCallum On June 26, 2002, I sat back watching the NBA DRAFT thinking the Houston Rockets made a sub-par team a average team. They had selected the bean pole from China, and they grabbed the tall Itallian small forward with thier 15th pick. I reviewed thier current roster and I told myself that they had a very good back court, they were strong at the 4 with KT, EG, Taylor, they have have a washed up Glen Rice, an inconsistent Cato, and a bench that consisted of a bunch of CBAer's. I thought to myself this team has no chance again to make it to the playoff's. They might as well really get ready for the Lebron James sweepstakes................... Boy were we all wrong! Allmost a year later I look at the season ending statistics, and realize how good this team really is, and the sad part is they are only going to get beter. Much better. Yes I know they were nocked out of the second round by the Lakers in 5 games, but come on what new team (besides the Nets of 02') has made a huge impact in the playoffs in thier first year there. Steve Francis and the Cat are really something special. They are the backcourt of the future. No back court is as talented or as good as these two. Eddie Griffin had a break out year finishing in the top 10 in block's. He was the MVP of the rookie/ sophmore game and the sad thing is he is only 20 years of age. Give him two more years and he will be a Rasheed Wallace with more defense and less attitude. KT, and Mo Taylor, Cato, and Norris have become the suprise bench of the year, and Rice well he is allmost done with his great career, but this last year he did a great job of staying healthy and showing the NBA that he still has the skills to every once in a while take over a game late in the 4th quarter. And lets get back to that draft that I so completly thought the Rockets had made one of the worst moves in Franchise history. That tall Italian kid is turning out to be a very solid small forward in this league. He has the shot to really put himself into the same league as Hedo Turkulue. And as for the big fella that I so highly doubted. Yao Ming who has gotten much bigger is going to be the next big thing in the NBA. He is never going to be as powerful as Shaq, but his agility and shot might turn him into a center that nobody on this earth has ever seen. He will be a Starting All-Star for years to come. I can not believe that I doubted a team with some much talent. The Rockets have it all ,and only time is holding them back from that championship that Rudy is so tempted to grab again. News to the Lakers, yes you have one 4 straight but the 5th will be much harder due to the lightning quick gaurds from Houston that have been lifted on the back of the GREAT WALL OF CHINA!
