Does anyone else here think that Yao is doing more harm than good for future Chinese prospects? The media is focusing on this "cultural" difference and how it impacts his game in the NBA that i'm sure the league's GM's are convinced that its true. If I'm a GM right now I don't go anywhere near a chinese draft prospect. They're thinking: If a 7'6" guy plays like a little girl on the court, what can I expect from a 6'5" chinese guard? I think this is a big reason why Yao doesn't have very much support from overseas like he did last season. Last year you could name 101 excuses why he wasn't playing all that great, this year, the excuses are growing weak and thin, with less credibility.
You can't be serious. Yao averages 16 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks a game. I don't think he's harming anyone.
International players already have this stigma of being soft as marshmellow. So Yao isn't really harming or helping that type of thinking.
You don't hear that about the European players though. What was the buzzword that was going around the league about Darko? "Tough as nails" and "next Garnett." Now what do you hear in the media and from Yao's teammates? "Be more aggressive" "take more shots" "Dunk more." All i'm saying is that can't be good for Asian NBA prospects. If Yao wasn't chinese, this whole "cultural difference" issue would'nt even have made this much of a splash on the airwaves.
Typical silentfan post... and no he isnt hurting anyone, he proved that he could play aggressive. He just needs to do it cconsistently.
Go back to draft day. Check your expectations. Then judge if Yao is ahead of schedule or behind it. And you'll come to realize Yao is way ahead of schedule.
Chinese Basketball Association needs to: 1) Stop telling their players to not dunk 2) make their players lift weights 3) encourage a hard-nosed style of play The system they've got in place right now can win the Asian games and the other cheesy tournaments in the Pacific rim, but that sh*t won't fly in the NBA or the Olympics.
But think about American Soccer for a moment. Everytime we try to play Euro soccer we get salughtered by the European teams. But lately we've played that hectic american style and we got to the final 8. I'd rather win playing our style of soccer because that's who we are. And China is who it is. So why should they change. There best chance to win is to play to their cultural strengths. They need to be who they are. Not become someone else.
Everyone here wants Yao to be the next great center like Hakeem. The NBA wants Yao to be the next Shaq. What does Shaq, Hakeem, and ever other GREAT center have in common? Killer instinct. Aggresiveness. The list goes on. Yao doesn't have those things. He's too busy sending Christmas cards to his rivals and too busy telling the media that he doesn't deserve to be in the All-Star game. He's too busy telling himself and the world that he's never going to be as good as Shaq. Put 1 and 1 together and get 2 people. Wake up. Some people have it, and some people dont. Yao doesn't have what it takes mentally to get to become the next great center. This is coming from a YOF so don't start calling me a yao basher. I started the "is it too late for Yao to be an MVP" post as a hypothetical because I do think he has skills. I do think he is a good player, but I'm not gonna blow smoke up all your arses and say he's going to be the next big thing in the NBA. Let's face the facts. He gets pushed around by 6'9" undersized Brian Grant-like centers. He gets schooled by the Nesterovic's and outmuscled by the Jason Collins' of the NBA. He gets dunked on by 6'5" guards and blocked by point guards. He shoots fade aways at 7'6" 310lbs and avoids contact. The line on Yao: "get physical with him, and you'll take him out of his game." Yao's done nothing to dispel this strategy against him. He proves it night in and night out. You don't need a Shaq to contain Yao, a Lorenzen Wright or a Greg Ostertag does just fine.
Uhh... wasn't that thread last week? And, now, poof...you're going to spare us smoke up the ass and tell it like it truly is... ok, thanks.
silentfan, If what you say comes true, then we are in trouble. Because the Rockets are not lead by Francis. And if Yao doen't not develop a killer instict (want the ball;be aggressive) we will never win a championship. I mean, even Francis gets mad at Yao for being timid. He's right. Yao needs to take charge! The good news is that Yao is only in his 2nd year.
I posed the question "if yao kept up these numbers would it be too late" as comic relief and for debate. Never once did I say "YAO'S GONNA WIN MVP OMFG BBQ!" GG nice try.
No, we already know the answer to that. Yao is the asian version of Rik Smits. At least this season. Next year he might graduate to Mutombo status.
