Wang zhizhi and Mengke Bateer are rarely playing for the LA Clippers and San Antonio Spurs. But both have prospects of playing next year. Bateer, a Mongolian, actually has only one name and in the 1999 Asian Championships was listed as Ba Teer. He was recruited to replace David Robinson when the Admiral retires at the end of this season. If San Antonio does not get a free-agent center, like Michael Olowakandi, this summer Bateer will get his chance to play next year. Wang is in a similar situation with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers are playing their starters as much as possible to see if they can gel into a winning team. If they don't, the Clippers may let Olowakandi leave as an unrestricted free agent, and may trade or lose Elton Brand and Andre Miller, who will be restricted free agents. The team is not likely to start winning this season because inept owner Donald Stirling is not giving the players enough time to get used to each other. Meanwhile Wang and Chris Wilcox are sitting in favor of Sean Rooks and Melvin Ely. Rooks and Ely are better players right now, though Wang and Wilcox have more potential. The Clippers not playing Wang or Wilcox because they have them locked up for three years and do not need to make a decision on them. Wang, guided by his new agent, made a stupid decision by skipping the Asian games and would have been better off signing a qualifying offer with Dallas and playing in the World Championships rather than signing with the inept Clippers. But because of China's loss in the Asian games, actually due to poor play by their guards, there is no way that China will take Wang back. This is true even though this loss was about the best thing that could happen to China's basketball program as it seems to have convinced China that it must alter its style of play if it wants to succeed internationally. However, Clippers games are banned from being shown on television in China. But the Clippers can still market Wang to the large Asian-American population of Southern California. Wang will likely become an American, as did Hakeem Olajuwon. But China should not want this type of situation to happen too often, so it should not be any more restrictive towards its players than are European countries. Wang would only be an instant-offense role-player as a power forward. But he could develop into a David Robinson-type finesse center if, and this is a big if, he can bulk up and develop the necessary toughness. The Chinese wanted him to play power forward because they have Yao Ming at center.
Cho, why not just say they both suck. Wang can't do much other than shoot 3's, and Bateer isn't anything more than a decent at best back-up.
Seriously, Wang can hit a jumper but Bateer is not getting "groomed" for a damned thing. Isn't Bateer much older anyway? Sorry Cho, but Yao is the only Chinese player good enough to see the floor for anything more than mop up duty.
I noticed that Bateer played 15 mins today. Probably because DRod was injuried or maybe he just played garbage time. I read that he got 5 fouls in 15 mins, what's up?
Wang played a few mins against Blazers yesterday. I think he can be a useful 15-20 mins guy who provides instant shooting from the bench in the NBA. Shame he went to a team like Clippers which didn't know how to use their personnel.
Wang is one heck of a 3 pt shooter, a very smooth shot. He almost reminds me of Bullard. He's been working on his post moves lately and has been perfecting his foot work esp. on a spin move that with his back to the basket turns 180 than 60 than 60 back to the basket. He's still very soft and doesn't dunk and his D still needs major work but you can definitely notice a difference compared to last year. But I got to say that many here in LA have said Wang has a major attitude, somewhat thinking he was a superstar. It's seems very opposite of Yao Ming.
Personally I feel that Wang is really disappointing. He was suppose to be a Nowitzki type of player, but he just turned out to be a Pat Garrity clone. As for Bateer, he seems really strong and the Spurs are a good fit for him so he might become a good player in the future. He just needs some playing time.
Bateer had 19 points against the U.S. team last year. He definately looked like Elton Brand in that game. He has some potential.
China's Bateer Likely to Get New Contract with Spurs http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200307/04/eng20030704_119459.shtml
Imo people are underrating Wang badly. He can actually do much more than shoot the three, he has a very good handle, passing ability and he has a nice turnaround J. There's no reason to think that he won't be able to score 20 points a game, given a chance. Obviulsy, on the other side, he still lacks the defence, robounding ability and intangibles to have enough minutes and shots to score that much, but as far as pure scoring he's really a very good player.
20 points a game? That would make Wang one of the best scorers in the NBA. Give me a break. The guy is slow also you forgot that part. He could be a 10 ppg performer on some terrible team that gave him 30 min a game, but not 20 ppg. How many 20 ppg scorers were there last year? 25. Wang could never come close to being one of them. He has a nice shot, but he is too slow to do anything else.
No Wang is not slow, he's actually very fast. Yeah he looks fat and skinny, but he's actually 275lbs! In practice last year Wang was the fastest big man when they timed the run from one end to the other end of the court, faster than Nowitski and Lefrentz. Nelson said he would pick Wang in the top 15 of the draft two years ago, his stock was brought down by the fact that no Chinese player before Wang ever played in the NBA. Many times two years ago Wang scored over ten points in just 10 minutes playing time with Dallas, and not all were in garbage time. Wang is certainly not elite, and is hampered by his immature personality and lack of communication skills, but he is a decent player.
Also I will never forget the game where Wang rejected Garnett twice and faked out Garnett so bad on a 3 pointer that he had to get stiches on his head after he fell upside down.
