Yao get Max for 5 year, ESPN news (originally reported by Mark Berman on FOX)

That's true.

But with Yao, I can recall many games won by his teammates (aka either TMac or role players), but not more than 5 won by Yao.

 

If you are talking about last shot victory, how many games were won by Shaq? As long as he can deliver 20-10, and make the opponents afraid to come inside, and bring us a championship, I will be more than happy, even if he never takes another last shot.

 

the true measure of a star making max isnt in how many last second shots they make....

IF your guys ar truely good...last second shots arent normally necessary. They should have already put the team up enough to win before the last seconds.

 

All I know is that Houston is damn lucky to have landed a player like Yao. Regardless if you feel whether or not he's a Superstar on the court, he definitely proves that he is one off the court.

 

Houston Rockets Sign Yao Ming to Multi-Year Contract Extension
HOUSTON – The Houston Rockets have signed three-time NBA All-Star Yao Ming to a multi-year contract extension that has the maximum value allowed under the league’s new collective bargaining agreement, Owner Leslie Alexander announced today.

“Yao Ming has proven himself to be one of the league’s elite centers,” said Alexander. “Since his fist day here with the Rockets, Yao has dedicated himself to winning a championship. Signing Yao to a maximum contract extension was one of my main priorities entering the offseason and I’m excited to know he’ll be playing alongside Tracy McGrady for many years to come. His rare combination of size, strength and shooting ability make him the perfect compliment to Tracy’s all-around game.”

Last season, the 7-foot-6, 310-pound center averaged career-highs in points (18.3), shooting percentage (.552) and blocks (2.00) along with an average of 8.4 rebounds in 80 starts. Yao was one of only three NBA players to average 18 points, eight rebounds and two blocks during the 2004-2005 season. Among NBA leaders last season, he ranked third in field goal percentage, 11th in blocked shots per game and 20th in rebounding average. Additionally, he led the Rockets with 24 double-doubles.

In his NBA career, Yao holds career averages of 16.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.90 blocks in 244 games with Houston. He ranks third in Rockets history in career blocked shots per game and fourth in career blocked shots. Yao has been selected as an NBA All-Star starter in each of his three seasons with the league, receiving a record number of votes with 2.56 million for the 2005 NBA All-Star Game.

Yao was Houston’s first pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. In his first NBA season, Yao received unanimous selection to the 2003 NBA All-Rookie First Team with averages of 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.74 blocks. He was also voted The Sporting News Rookie of the Year by NBA executives.

Yao has played for the Chinese National Team during each of the four summers since being drafted into the NBA. He averaged 23.4 points and 15.4 rebounds in five seasons with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association prior to playing in the NBA.

 

http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Houston_Rockets_Sign_Yao_Ming_-150162-822.html

 

Hey, these 3 guys are my cousins (seriously),
this picture was taken when the Rockets had a "fan crowdy promotion" for the wildest outfit, and the funny thing about it was their picture was in the front page of rockets.com but they can't get in.

 

Oh, it's just pathetic and hilarious. I'd post the links and some quotes, but I'm not sure that Clutch likes that sort of thing. There are a handful of sane people at LakersGrounded-up-and-spit-out.net, for example, who've defended Yao and poo-pooed the absurd homerism of the spastic, depressed crowd... now become convinced, in their tiny minds, that somehow they'll get LeBron, or Amare, or even Duncan in '08. That the real super-secret Faker plan was to make it appear like they were planning to snatch Yao from us in '07, but had all along intended an '08 raid on various teams. Heck, some of the flakes, many of whom seem to be about 14 years old, actually think they're going to get both Amare and LeBron, without giving up Bryant, no less!

It's a sad, but amusing read. It makes you realize, yet again, how damn good we have it here.

 

wow, you totally missed the entire mood of the article. You're like the Baxter of Clutchfans

 

OMG another Baxter

 

What I don't want to see this season is Mutombo getting almost half of the minutes in some games because he is being a more productive player than Yao. I can remember a handful of game towards the end of last season in which that happened. Night in and night out, Yao should always be our most dominant center on offense and defense.

 

Isn't that Dave2000 on the right?

 

From that link:

"I'm thankful for Mr. Alexander's trust and giving me the opportunity to play in Houston," Yao said. "I can put more energy into next season and future seasons now that the (contract) matter has been put aside. This was something in my mind, and my heart is always in Houston."

While many upcoming free agents embrace the opportunity to pursue other destinations, that was not the case for Yao. The Rockets have stood by Yao's side even as they were criticized for taking him with the #1 pick of the 2002 NBA Draft. That loyalty and how he was embraced by Houston led to an easy decision.

"It was not difficult (to re-sign) because I love Houston and I have very good teammates," Yao said. "I think our team is getting stronger. Everything is getting comfortable for me."

--------

SWEET!

 

Centers aren't usually known for winning games with last second shots anyway. Most of them take too long to post up, do their moves, etc. and the rest of them couldn't shoot a 15-18 foot jumper to save their lives. This is why the 1, 2, an 3 positions are usually the ones you see taking last second shots.

 

I thought Houston was the 7th largest market in the US.

 

While Yao doesn't take a lot of last second shots. He did make some very good plays in a lot games to help Rockets clinch a difficult win.

I remembered:

1. In TMac Miracle game, we down by a lot. It seems everybody is down on themselves, then I think it was TMac that missed a long jumper, Yao grabs the offensive rebound out of air and throw it back down which is the play that ignite TMac and rest of Rockets. Then run back upcourt to defend, and help trap Tony Parker and eventually we got the ball back from a Parker's turn over. Sets picks after pick for TMac.

2. I think it was Rockets down by 1 at the end of the game against Mavericks, Francis somehow throws a entry pass into Yao that's surrended by 4 defenders. Yao muscle his way for a shot, makes the shot and plus foul to win the game.

3. After hitting two baskets against the lakers, the game is tied and time running down, Yao got the ball inside and moves his move, get foul and calmly sink both free throws to win that game.

...

A lot of pick n roll with TMac that kill the mavs.

 

Yao Ming Re-signing Press Conference Transcript
http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Yao_Mingrsquos_Press_confere-150201-822.html


Rockets owner Leslie Alexander:

"This is really an exciting and important day in the history of the Rockets. I think he will become one of the greatest players in the history of the game. He’s still young and (with him being) teamed with Tracy McGrady, it will give us a chance to compete for the championship for many years to come and will turn the Rockets into a major force in international sports. Thank you everybody for being here.”

(On why it was important to sign Yao to the contract extension) ‘I’m really reiterating what Yao said. We’re trying to win a championship and maybe multiple championships, and to have anything take away from the concentration of winning, hurts us. And now that this is gone away, it gives us a better chance to win.”

(On the Rockets’ relief efforts to aid the New Orleans evacuees) “We’re going to have a couple of major events that we’re planning right now. I’ve come up with a couple of innovative ideas that I think are going to help the people there. Hopefully we can get it all done and make the announcement in a very short period of time. We’re trying to coordinate it in a way that really makes a meaningful impact. We can’t do that overnight. It’s probably going to take four or fives days until we can put everything together so we can have a major, major focus and a major event that really helps the people. We’re going to do something that I think will be very impactful.”

(On the possibility of the New Orleans Hornet moving their operation to Houston for the time being) “I’ve talked to Russ Granike, the assistant commissioner of the NBA, and we’ve talked about the future. I said that I would give my help if needed, but other than that I really can’t talk about the extent of the conversation.”

(On where this stacks up to other moves he has made as the Rockets’ owner) “I think this is as important as anything I’ve done as an owner. I mean to have, I think, the next great big man in the NBA- which is the most dominate position- to have him tied up for a long time is very important for this team and this city. Plus he’s a great guy and a great spokesman.”


(On the Rockets’ outlook for next season) “I think that we can be one of the top three teams in the West. I mean, it’s unbelievable how tough it is out here. San Antonio gets Finley and Van Exel, and Dallas killed us in the seventh game last year. Everybody’s strong, but I think we have a great team and a great coach. I think we have assets maybe that other people don’t have, especially with Yao in the middle.”


(On Yao Ming’s strengths) “First of all, he’s got the size. He has the intelligence. He’s dedicated to making himself better every year. He’s still young, and when you watch the tape of Yao moving, he has enough quickness at his size to be a phenomenal, forceful player in the league. I think in the next few years, as he gets towards his 30th birthday, these things will start to come out more than they have in the past.”

Rockets center Yao Ming::

(Opening statement) “Thank you everybody for coming here tonight. Sorry, I meant this morning (laughs). It’s nighttime here in Beijing right now. I’m very honored to re-sign with the Rockets and I understand that this is a great example of Mr. Alexander’s trust in me. This gives me the chance to continue to play in Houston and I have the feeling that I will have a great career here in Houston. I hope our team will get a championship in the next few years. I believe we can do it.”

(On what it means to sign this new contract extension) “I can put more energy into next season and also future seasons. I can have more focus on basketball without (worrying) about if I will have a contract or not.”

(On if he ever considered testing the free agent market) {Through a translator} “It’s impossible not to look at different things objectively and that was something on my mind. But my heart has always been in Houston.”


(On if it was a tough decision to sign the contract extension with the Rockets) “My decision was not very difficult because I love the Houston fans, I have very good teammates- particularly this year, we have a couple of new teammates that joined us and I think that we are getting stronger- and also we have a very good coaching staff. Everything has been very comfortable for me.”


(On what he plans to do in regards to the New Orleans flood relief effort) “I saw the news on TV and I was saddened by the news. It was obviously devastating to the state (of Louisiana). This was an event of nature that which we can’t control, but what we can control is our own actions. We should have a warm heart towards those people and I will join the people that are helping those refugees.”

(On when his obligations will be finalized in China) {Through a translator} “Yao will return to Houston in late September. Currently he has an obligation to play in the Asian Championships with the Chinese National Team. After that, he will go to Japan for a world expo. He also has two charity events scheduled. One is a drive for a bone marrow bank in China (to increase) the number of donors, and he also has an AIDS awareness event in Hong Kong, hosted by the Hong Kong government.”

(On his current health status) “This is my first surgery, so I don’t have any experience on how to rehab. All I am doing is following the schedule that the trainer gives to me. I just started playing basketball again and I feel pretty healthy. I believe when I return to Houston I will be totally healthy.”


(On the Rockets recently signing Stomile Swift) “Stromile is a great player and he can (contribute) a lot on offense and defense and (help) with rebounding. If you want to survive in the West you need a very tough inside player and make sure you are strong in the (low) post. We’re going to have a new big guy coming in here and he’s going to bring a lot of energy.”

(On receiving numerous accolades from Les Alexander) “It’s like a student turning in his homework and getting a (high grade) from the teacher.”

 

Preach it, brother.

 

Chandler just signed a 6yr 75mil contract. Yao is cheap in comparison.

http://www.tsn.ca/nba/news_story.asp?ID=135242&hubName=nba

 

While last-second shots tend to be the most memorable, it's a vastly overrated skill. Much more important is the ability to run half-court plays affectively down the stretch. The Dream is a perfect example. In a close game with under 1-2 minutes to do, the Rockets would always run a play for him down on the low post. Over and over. It those plays would always be quite effective.

Yao certainly has the ability to have the same impact down the stretch. His biggest problem is his inability to hold on to the ball. If he can get better in this regards, the Rockets can be a deadly team at the end of games.