What gives!!?? Dream was a much better player than Ewing, so why wasn't the job of assisting coach offered to Dream!!?? I dun get it.
Dream has many business ventures to keep him busy. Maybe he doesn't want to. Unlike some superstars, Michael Jordan, when he retired from basketball, he meant it.
What could Dream teach Yao? How to become a dominant center by using you speed and quickness to offset your lack of size? The two players are polar opposites, style-wise. Hakeem's never been 7'6", Yao's never been undersized - how could the two even understand where the other one is coming from.
1. Who says Dream is even interested in coaching? he is still under contract with Toronto and he is a successful business man. 2. I love Dream but the very idea of he and Yao trying to communicate cracks me up. I was at the game in which we honored Dream and raised his jersey to the rafters and when he spoke sometimes he had to repeat himself because the crowd couldn't understand him. 3. While of course I agree Olajawon was a far better player than Ewing, I really think Ewing is more suited to coach Yao. 4. Van Gundy doesn't have a history with Dream. If I'm going to worry about this being a slap in the face of a great Houston center then I have to be worried about Moses Malone being offended. He's said all year long he'd be interested in working with Yao. But to me, what it all comes down to is the best fit for the Rockets (Van Gundy and Yao in particular) and Ewing may very well be the best fit. I'd really like to hear that Moses Malone recieved an interview though, or at least some consideration.
How about post moves, footwork, and shot-blocking. Dream could give him a lot of great ideas. And Yao doesn't know what he's doing in terms of block and changing shots. His timing isn't very good. Hakeem's timing was brilliant.
The problem is that everything Dream could teach would be from the perspective of a shorter center with freakish quickness and pogo-style jumping ability. How could Dream possibly teach Yao how to use his superior height to any advantage, he's never been in the position Yao's been in. If we're going to get former players to teach Yao(and I'm not sure this is a good idea) - we need to make sure we get players who had a similar skill set to Ming. Dream was compeltely different than Yao. Ewing is only slightly better, but not much.
"All year" isn't correct. Moses Malone mentioned *once* that he "wanted to work with Yao." It was strongly implied that that "work" was games at Fonde (or Westside or the new arena), not as a bench coach.
What Puedl said. Olajuwon can only tell Yao, "try to be as athletic and quick as I was." Olajuwon was never a highly fundamental player. He was great, mainly because of his ridiculous athleticism for a big guy. This is like Francis trying to teach someone to be a PG.
What could Dream teach Yao? The DreamShake. Maybe. Yao has already displayed some twisting moves himself. But I do not think he is as athletic as Dream. I am not that upset with Ewing being an assistant coach. If there is only one spot, I would rather see Mario "Junkyard Dog" Elie. He toughness would be an asset. As for Dream, I just do not think he is interested.
I remember seeing him on television saying he'd love to work with Yao as well, at least once. At best it was an exageration but regardless, he has expressed some degree of interest and Dream has not, so if anybody former Houston center should get a shot at this assisant coaching job it should be Moses Malone....... or maybe Chuck Nevitt.
Dream said he has NO interest in coaching...thats why not Dream. Its hard to hire a guy as coach who doesn't want to coach.
