No!!!! Not another Yao thread!!!!!!!! Trust me, I know Yao is no Hakeem. I'm sure this has been discussed, but I personally never asked. And I don't visit the GARM nearly enough to really get others thoughts about this on a daily basis. But really? How would of Akeem of done as a rookie in 2002, in the the NBA, with no American or college experience? I get so down on Yao sometimes. I know most of us do. But I don't think he has to go far be really great. He will overcome being stripped of the ball (which now I think is his greatest weakness), in time how could he not? I think he will come over his weaknesses fairly soon. It's not that bad. Remember when he was a "project" that would maybe bring us great rewards? There will be a great awakening. People get ready... I want to go down on record to say that Yao will be a truly dominate player. I think it is crazy to think about trading him. He is special, his Greatness is the near future. Go Rockets! Rockets fans Rejoice!
Uh, Yao has been playing organized basketball for most of his life, his parents both played, and he was a proffesional before coming to the NBA. Dream had only played a little bit of ball before coming to U of H, you can't compare them. Still, even with little experience, I bet in 2002 he'd still be a better rebounder and shot blocker than Yao.
I agree. But, I'm not sure he would be all round offensive threat Yao is now due to his own experience. Yao in his own way is the anti-Akeem. People b****ed that Akeem was "selfish", Yao will come around too, and soon.
Dream would've been an Amare Stoudemire on the offensive end - plus a much better rebounder and one of the league's top shot-blockers. He probably would've fouled out every second game for at least the first half of the season though....
if Akeem Went Straight into the NBA in 2002, Rox would still draft YM, Memphis(West) would draft Akeem, and Memphis would have won a champion in 2004.
yao is overrated, but he still is extremely valuable. He will never be as great as akeem, but with a power forward who can make up for his deficiencies, along with TMAC, and two guards who can shoot the 3 ball, play D and penetrate, we can win a championship. Basketball is 5 on 5. Yao has his role and others have theirs.
We need two superstars to win the NBA championship. One isn't going to cut it, especially if that one is a guard. Yao can't just be a good player, he needs to be dominate.
Yao has been playing basketball for far longer than Hakeem had by the time he hit college or pro. Yao is far more polished than Hakeem was when he was still called Akeem
In Dream's second year in the league, he was double team by kareem and worthy and still manages to score 40 point in the playoffs. Dream was just sick in his youth. He could dunk on anyone and didn't mind knocking some teeth out if someone looked at him the wrong way.
Partly true, But, if Yao is thought of as a great player, if can be just as effective than if he really was. Jordan was not great in the 6th finals. He was less than great, but the fact the opposition thought he was, made the Bulls team better.
Akeem would not have been drafted if he didn't play college ball.For those of you who do not remember he didn't even start for the cougars his freshman year.The starters on the 1982 final four team were Lyden Rose, Rob Williams, Michael Young, Clyde Drexler, and Larry Micheaux.Akeem could barely walk and chew gum then and as much as he improved after that he was very raw and unskilled at that point.Thats the only area Yao beats Akeem at the same age.
An interesting hypothetical. I think if Akeem, not yet Hakeem, had been drafted fresh from Nigeria in the NBA 2002 for most of the time he would've been riding the pine and brought out to provide 6 fouls against Shaq. Or as the designated wide body to take up space and be thuggish on occasion. While coaches would probably see a lot of potential most of all they would've seen a very athletic and strong big man with no offensive touch beyond 5 feet from the hoop and no feel for the complexities of the NBA game. He probably would be bounced around the league for awhile and would only now start showing the Dream that we all love.
As many of others have said, if Akeem came into the league in 2002, he would be a more freakish Amare Stoudamire with an attitude problem. But he'd be blocking, rebounding and just wowing everybody with his game.
I want you to watch some of those Phi-Slamma-Jamma games Meowgi. One you should have access to is the North Carolina State and Cougars game. Hakeem was blocking 3 point shots from free-throw line distance! No more of this blasphemy till Yao starts doing that. We are, however; open to any comparisons to the following: Bill Walton Rik Smits George Mikan Mark Eaton, and.... Manute Bol, Shawn Bradley, and George Muresan BTW, Yao will ne ver amount to what Bol was. He is the only guy in NBA history over 7'-5" that had the green light to shoot threes!
This is correct. Akeem didn't even kwow BB in his first year. He was an athlete, but he was not a BB player. As little offensive skill as Amare had early on, he was still far ahead of the freshman Akeem.
