Yao Ming: Carroll Dawson Knows Me Better As A Coach

Yep and that's why Yao has gotten worse and worse over the last 4 years....

 

Most of you may not be old enough to remember it, but before RT was offered the job as coach, it was offered to CD. Unfortunately, he was going through some health issues at the time, and passed the opportunity on to Rudy.

CD has always been know as one of the best big man coaches in the league. Houston has had some awesome centers for the last 25 years, and much of that is because of CD's coaching. The man is way more respected as a coach than he ever will be as a GM. Saying he would screw up Yao is a statement made without any idea who CD really is.

 

First, he never tried to mold Yao into Ewing. One of the biggest aspects of Ewing's game was his little mid-range jumper that he always shot. Yao was strictly low post, you hardly saw him step out and shoot the jumper. He tried getting him the easiest shots possible. When you have a 7'6, 310-pound Center with a lack of decent centers in today's game, the first thought is to pound in it. And by looking at his production these past two years, I'll say that it worked.

YAO said himself that he wanted JVG to stay and was very sad when JVG was gone. You could hear it in his voice when he talked about JVG being gone that he really wanted him back. Yao got to where he is today by dominating that low post. Lots of people saw him as dominant because of his low post offense. Oh yeah, he still does that Shanghai Shake. It was nothing more than a turnaround baseline fadeaway, which he continually does since his rookie year. JVG's offense was catered specifically to Yao. Spread the floor, get Yao on the low block and let him work.

Yao improved more every year under JVG. Is that not enough? When he first came in, he could barley back down a guard. Now, he so dominant in the post that he can't be left 1-on-1. I don't see how turning Yao into a "low post beast" can be anything but good. YAO is already a complete player, the only thing that is missing is the aggressive, kill-mode mentality. That is somthing that JVG, Rick A, Tom T or Sikma can't teach. That mentality is something YAO has to gain on his own. At this point in his career, it's not going to matter who is teaching him. It's all up to Yao if he wants to turn that corner and become the player critics said he will never be. He came into the league with basically no low post presence at all, 5 years later and now he is one of the most dominant in the paint. Heck, even Shaq said the best two low post players are Yao and Tim Duncan. Look at all the titles Tim has, that could be Yao in the future.

 

Good read. Appreciate it pryuen.

That's because Phil NEVER doubles anyone. He doesn't believe in it.

 

JVG actually is a very good coach in my opinion, even though I really do think he mismanaged Yao. I like JVG when he stood up for his players and I like his dedication/preparation for the games. On a scale of 100, I would give JVG 90-92%.. (I give Phil Jackson, Popavi, Larry Brown, Pat Ridley 95-98)

JVG is a defense guy, he believe in "Specialization", that was why he want to mold Yao into the next Patrick Ewing. On the other hand, Yao is actually the kind of center that shouldn't be "specialized", Yao could passed and shoot from 18 ft, why waste his talent on restricting him in the low post?.. Oh well, with the new coach and CD's training, I expect the true Yao will surface the water next seaon..

 

I also remember JVG distinctly saying that he wanted only a couple of guys to tutor Yao. He said at point especially when he was struggling, every one that could would tell him to do this and do that. Since Yao is so humble he listened to what everyone was telling him and tried to do too much out there. I think it is a good idea to have one or two guys coach him. I think they should have had Carrol do some work with Yao but the main thing is you don't want to be taught by two different people that contradict cause I think that would make Yao unsure of what the best technique really is.

 

I have no doubt Yao missed JVG, but it's more like a GF you had for years, even though you think she is not good enough for you to marry her, but you still won't want to break up with her either...

Yao is a nice guy, but he's more politic than you thought when he is facing the media.

I am the kind of guy who believes in facts. From what I see after the JVG era, Yao actually showed they he wants to learn something new, he immediately hired Dream and worked with CD to improve his game, so that automatically tells you something...

 

But it's more fun to b**** and moan and b**** and moan and b**** and moan.

 

when dealing with Yao fans, sometiems they don't detect sarcasm well, you should be careful...

 

nice article...thanks..can't wait for next season...

 

Wow a thread about CD with a post from DD and no ugly negative response from denniscd? What time does elementary school let out.

 

Glad to see Yao finally learns what a small man JVG is, literally and figuratively.

Good riddance, Gundy.

 

I do detect the heavy sarcasm there but let me say this: Yao did get better, but in some areas, he became worse. And this is a direct function of JVG's utilization of Yao.

Yao became worse in that he's become this robotic, predictable, easy to turnover, slow JVG type vision of a protypical center.

Yao is not JVG's type of player. JVG likes players that are of the John Starks mold. The under-talented, over-productive players that excel due to sheer effort, and will. The scrappy under-dog. The relentless defender. THAT is what JVG wanted to mold Yao into.

It's like converting a Ferrarri into a Pickup Truck.

Yao is more of a finesse type player with an extraordinary advantage: His 7'6 height and his remarkable touch.

JVG is all about molding players to fit into HIS system. I agree JVG is a good coach, but he is not great. Great coaches can adapt their system to fit their player's abilities.

I think this upcoming season, we'll finally see Yao back on the track to his natural, true abiltiies. Yeah, Yao did improve the past 4 years but look at injuries. He's getting more and more injuries, and breaking down. This is due to the punishment he's forced to endure in the low post.

I like Adelmn's thinking. Why not mix it up? Yao is a center who can shoot almost 90% from the FT line. That's unheard of for a center. So mixing it up seems like a very reasonable thing to do.

So yeah, did Yao improve? Absolutely. But is he improving in the right direction? No. He won't last under JVG's guidance. We need to use him better.and that's what Adelman is going to do.

 

I always wonder what the hell happened to Yao's jumper. Thanks for Slick Rick for bringing it back. One thing Dream and Ewing had in common were that they were good shooters from midrange. And you can argue Yao is even better than them in the jumper department.

I want to see Yao's ratio like this:
Regular Season
60% jump shots
20% post moves
20% fast break dunks

Post Season
50% jump shots
30% post moves
10% fast break dunks

 

How is he not improving in the right direction? Had we had the Yao that came into the with, pre injury Yao, in the playoffs this team advances. Yao never fully regained his form after the injury and it really showed in the playoffs. This years injury could hardly be blamed on being worn out, as it was a freakish play that caused the break.

Yao in the low box at the start of the season, was a beast and damn near unstoppable. I hardly call that development in the wrong direction.

I am very intrested to see what Adelman will do with Yao, I have no problem with variety but to make it seem as if these last 4 years under JVG have just been so horrible for Yao and stagnated his development is just incorrect.

 

tinman, what is Yao going to do with the rest 10% in post seasons? Secret weapons?

 

Now I understand why so many people want to trade Yao to the other teams because of annoying fans like you.

 

Yea, I mean, god damn. JVG totally ruined his game turning him into a 25ppg scorer from the 13ppg he averaged his rookie year. Imagine if JVG had never existed - Yao probably would have been averaging 45ppg and challenging Wilt's record. Glad JVG is gone.

 

It's just a matter of time how much trash is going to come out the Gundy era....I was writing about it bezillion times, he took his ego over anyone else on the team....tried it his way, didn't work and he lost his job...he was behind this "not having CD or Olajuwon train with Yao"....but it's also his right, since he brought in the guys who he felt comfortable and thought could help Yao...

 

You're losing me as to why you are reacting to his post as such... Everybody and their mother knows that Yao's game can be expanded from just backing down his man. He was just reiterating that fact. I don't see how that could prompt such a response from you.