One thing you have to love about Yao is that he is willing to listen and learn. Once he gets through a couple of days with Hakeem, I wish he would spend the summer with Kareem as offered. The sky hook was absolutely unstoppable and Yao has the size and ability to master it. Can you imagine Yao adding a sky hook to his arsenal and a new coach that might also let him shoot set shots from outside every once in a while. If Okur can shoot from the 3 point line, why can't Yao shoot from the elbow. Sky hook, jump hook, jump shots from the elbow and baseline. How do you gameplan for that?
That's amazing. So Dream is going to drastically increase Yao's quickness, foot speed and balance? No wonder you all wanted JVG gone. I mean Novak is Peja and Spanoulis is going to be Bibby under Adelman. Yao is no longer slow or clumsy. Based on some of the stuff I am reading I'm pretty sure by next year it will be Yao taking Boozer out on the floor and then blowing by him.
Well Hakeem The Dream Olajuwon had explicitly said he wanted to work with Yao Ming.....and he gave a lot of advice/pointers at that time. It was last summer, but then, the timing was not right, as Yao Ming was then struggling to recuperate/rehabilitate from his toe surgery to play for the national team in the 2006 World Championship. Below was what the Dream's advice to Yao Ming last year.
Originally Posted by Hakeem the Dream Olajuwon “He is mobile enough to be a force. He runs the floor very well. He has a soft jump shot, good skills. For him, it is just the concept, the job description, that he must learn. That lane, it belongs to him. Everybody has to go through you. You reject everything that comes in there. It is your house. “It is more of a mental picture for him to get in his mind and then extend out to other teams. ‘Oh no, we have to face the Rockets and Yao Ming! We have so much to worry about!’ He needs that mentality. Everybody talks about his skills. But he is a gentleman on the court. No. It is not a place for gentlemen. Not in the lane. He must be a force. “It is about so much more than stats. It is that toughness, that image, that force that all big men must project. Tracy McGrady is a great player. But this is Yao Ming’s team. It should be. He has so much more to offer. It is not out of reach. I am a realistic person. He has what it takes. But he is trying to fit in when he should be making everyone fit in around him. “Maybe you say it is cultural. I don’t know. But he can change. He can be taught. Let him see how it’s done. I know he has obligations this year (in China) with the world tournament. But next year, maybe he is free. I plan to be here. Hopefully, with a bigger camp. I would like to work with him.” - Hakeem Olajuwon on what he wants to teach Yao next year during his annual Big Man Camp in Houston, August /3/06 1. Hopefully Rick will allow Yao to shoot more jumpers. Dream shot jumpers from the free throwline to the top of the key. 2. Yao is playing too much basketball. he should skip the world tournament thing. 3. I don't know if Yao can be the dominate shot blocker like Dream or Deke. I'd prefer we get another shot blocker to help out (like Horry was for Dream).
I think there a lot things Hakeem can teach Yao, even if for only a day. Besides the physical aspect, he can teach him little tricks, impart his philosophy about mental toughness, and just give him a better idea about what he needs to do is win. I do agree, especially after the Utah series, that Yau seemed stuck in mud. Maybe Dream will tell him it's better to attack the basket as soon as you get the ball when you're posted up. I know Dream woundn't have just sat there and waited for 3 Jazz players to come over and hang all over him. I think this is great thing for Yao and the Rockets. I can't wait to see video and the interview.
yao's a lot of probelm " is just the concept". cannot agree more. Yao was playing slower and softer than the real Yao because of this concept thing. He definitely can improve a lot by just picking up the skills that were lost during JVG time.
Huh? Yao improved dramtically over his years with JVG. Injuries had alot more to do with any loss of quickness. He is definitely not as soft as he was pre-JVG. I mean I don't care if you want a new coach or are happy that Jeff is gone, but some of the stuff you guys want to blame on the coach is rediculous.
I was somewhat disappointed you did not make a cameo in my random picture comment thread tinman. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=129759&highlight=random+picture+comment
Pretty disappointed. Woke up early and surf on the various Chinese websites for news and photos of this clash of the Titans. But not even 1 photo of them together yet. Just 2 short articles on Sina.com giving us a glimpse of what happened.... The following is what Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon had to say about Yao Ming.
