What player of all-time do you think Yao Ming's game Resembles?

I will not compare Yao with anyone. Yao is Yao. He has his own game and I hope he can win his own ring some day.

 

Yao is Yao but based on free throws, lack of athleticism, good shooting I would say Big Z

 

Rik Smits.

He was Yao before Yao was Yao.

 

nah, yao is unique.

 

Of all the players listed, probably Rik Smits. Smits was a very good post up player also. He had a better jump shot though, and he wasn't nearly as impactful on the boards or interior defense.

I'll throw out another name : Robert Parish.

 

Yao is Yao...he shows signs of excelence, amazing ability.

And then other times where he looks like he is about to collapse....from exhaustion.....and falls to the ground every other possession.

 

Maybe I'm alone on this, but I disagree with Bill; at least until he wins a Championship.

At this point, he's closest to Ralph Sampson (he even has the same hook and jump shot to prove it) - so much potential, yet no Championship.

I hope that will change, but as of now, that's where he is. A great Rocket nevertheless, but Dream, Max, Kenny, Elie, Horry, Thorpe & co. will always be held with higher respect unless Yao wins at least One "Big One".

 

There has never been a 7'4" center to average over 20ppg and esp one that shoot >85% FT. Yao's turn around up and under move has definately never been by a 7'6" dude.

Yao is Yao.

 

This is a no brainer. Arvydas Sabonis!

 

Yao is one of the kind.

people will appreciate his games more later on.

 

There's really no one who compares with Yao, the more I think about it. Of the players even remotely his size, I guess you could compare him to a hybrid of Smits, Sabonis, and Eaton. But he's a more dominant interior scorer than any of those guys -- perhaps more comparable to an older, mid-30s Abdul-Jabbar.

 

No one above.

He has his own game.

Rik Smits was a better shooter in the high post and around the perimeter (Yao has never had that kind of shooting touch before), but he doesn't have anything else on Yao. As far as, rebounding, drawing double teams, passing, shot blocking, defense, and power plays in the post. If you replaced Rik with Yao ... The Pacers would've been a slightly more formidable team, as the Rockets wouldn't have been quite as good over the last few years, even with Yao's injuries. Smits was good solid player, but he never commanded the post or was as powerful as Yao Ming. Even at his best, he could never match someone, like Yao. Everyone complained about Yao against Boozer and Okur or smaller centers in the run n gun style teams, but could you imagine Smits guarding one of them? Their numbers would've really been off the chart. Do you all really think someone like Smits could guard Dwight or Amare? Both of whom, Yao has done pretty well against.

Tim Duncan - is probably one of the most fundamentally sound players in NBA history. To me at times, he seems like a more taller and talented version of Shane Battier, very smart and intelligent player who can beat others with greater physical tools. Sort of like Bill Russell. I don't think Yao is in that category, either. Sidenote: That's how good I think Shane would be, if he were about 6,10 to 7 feet tall.

Patrick Ewing (post 94) - A fairly decent comparison, as Ewing for some reason started to decline after 91-92. He was still a good NBA all-star center, but he wasn't as athletic as he was in the mid to late 80s. He could hit nice jumpers, probably had the best power game after Shaq and David, during the 90s. But, for some reason, he seemed like he was step slower at times, compared to some of other great centers of the 90s. Which might have just been age? He couldn't move, like Olajuwon, the Admiral, Shaq, or even Mourning. You probably couldn't put him out on the wing against shooting centers or rotation on guards (because they would blow right by him). The young Ewing could fly the down the court, like a jackrabbit and leap out of the gym. But, older Ewing was like a slightly more athletic version of Yao (until the post NY years) tter jumper, shooter, and little faster, but not quite as strong and still lumbering.

I guess you could say Yao is a weaker version of Patrick Ewing with more power, though. If you have to compare him to someone. I wouldn't say that is bad thing at all. Even at an older age, Patrick Ewing was still an all-star player and a top 5 center. Probably was a better player than Yao, but I don't think Ewing could bully people around like that.... because he doesn't have 300+ body frame with 7,6 height. Offensively, Yao without injuries is still going to be 16 to 18 ppg player in his twilight years ... his hook shots, fallaways, and dunks (sometimes) are pretty unblockable.

 

My other guesses would've been a weaker (hybrid) version of an older Sabonis and older Kareem.

Both were finesse players, like Yao, with better shooting and passing skills. Then again, they never had that type of power in their game.

The other one is an older version of Moses Malone and Shaq. Less attitude and accomplishments, but slightly wider range of shots.

 

It's hard to say ... he was very good at both. In his prime, he was an even better defensive player than offensive player, in my opinion. Olajuwon was the best defensive player in the league for a number of years. I'm not sure he was ever the best offensive player, other than during his magical 1995 playoff run.

 

Patrick Ewing.

 

,

Well might be exaggerating, but I think Dream actually was the best offensive player in the league for a short time ... but it was beyond the 95 run.

I think he had the most well-rounded offensive game of any center of that time, but he might not have been the best scorer. I would say Shaq and David Robinson were probably better scorers than Dream.

Thing was neither of them could match Olajuwon's defensive intensity and skill. That's what probably propelled him over both players.

Yao might have one thing he does like dream, a baby hook shot, and that's it. The Dream was superior in every area to Yao, except maybe power.

 

yao ain't nothing like the laker-version of kareem. why patrick ewing isn't one of the poll choices? a mid-90's ewing is whom i think yao is the closest to.

but all in all, yao is unique. well, i guess one can make a casr that all great centers are unique in their own way.

 

His stats might resemble certain players but I don't see his game really resembling anyone, certainly not the greats. Perhaps Z because of their size and touch on offense.