Why is Yao so popular in China when I've heard a many of times that Wang Zhi Zhi always won the battles with Yao over there in China? Wang Zhi Zhi is as popular as poop compared to Yao!
It is because he has the best upside of any player to come out of that region and play in the NBA. It doesn't hurt that he was selected number 1 either. Go Ming!!
Whats that have to do with anything? Cuttino gets more media attention then Kwame Brown did... he was also the first highschooler to be picked #1... and Cat was picked 46th!!!!
It's all about actual achievement. A lot of guys have come out of North Carolina, but Jordan will always get the most press of all of them. In China, however, Wang Zhizhi was the more accomplished player. And if we compare fan interest on the first day of arrival, Wang Zhizhi probably isn't THAT far off compared to Yao. It's just that Yao's distinguished himself since, where as Wang Zhizhi can't get off the bench. And Wang's political problems with the national team have not gained him many fans.
Have you ever heard a witty comeback from Wang..uhh no.. I think that translates to any language! It's like comparing Charles Barkley to Karl Malone..Charles is much more popular mainly because of his personality!
The short answer is Yao is playing, and Wang sits on the bench. It's hard to cheer for a bench warmer. What I do know is that Wang was way more popular than Yao before he joins NBA more than two years. I don't think there was any more media attention paid to a 2nd round draft pick than Wang ever before. Yao was only be able to compete against Wang in his last year in CBA, prior to that, Wang was dominating while Yao was still a teenage with great potential.
After YAO left Shanghai sharks, the team become a losing team. After Wang left 81, the team still is a championship team. Is that make difference??
I have a Yao Ming question. How do family names work in China? His mom's name is Fang Feng Di (i think?) and his dad's name starts with Yao. Why doesn't his mom have Yao as part of her name? What is the custom there? When they introduce themselves as a family, how does that work? Mr and Mrs or Mr this and his wife!? Or are they not married? Just wondering...
No, it's not. It's not that simple when you talk about the CBA teams. The two eligible foreign players each team can have are always the biggest fact except for the Ba-Yi Rockets. Yao was a huge fact for the Sharks, but two aids they had just had the same impact on that team.
Women don't take the last name of their husbands, they keep their own. In Taiwan/Hong Kong (and parts of mainland China influence by Western culture), women are often introduced as Yao-taitai in more social settings if their husband's last name is Yao... the equivalent of Mrs. Yao.
In the old China, prior 1949, women used their husband's name when got married, just like the States do. Since 1949, women keep their family name after marriage, we call that "equal rights", or "women independece". It's easy, just call them Mr. Yao and Lady. Fang
WANG ZHI ZHI DON'T got no fans like Yo Ming. Los Angeles fans can't compete with the Houston fans. Without a doubt, Houston fans are the best. We rockin... Yao Ming was the #1 pick!!! Wang Zhi Zhi is a GARBAGE PLAYER! Why would anyone care about him? Yo is 7-6!!! Wang is just a 3 point shooter! He can drive though... cya!
Not just L.A. He wasn't perceived as a friendly person (by the media - based on a few articles that I've read) when he joined the NBA. Besides, I'm sure more people don't like him after he refused to play for the national team.
Don't even encourage Yao to defect. Chinese don't respect anyone who defects because of monetary reasons. Political reason is another issue.
It all started when Yao's hand was x-rayed when he was a little boy. Then the Chinese officials discovered that Yao will be as tall as 2.3M (7"5') tall so they immediately started giving him the Lebron treatment - Chinese style. Now it is safe to safe that Yao has lived up to expectation. Also having parents who are considered patriots help - his parents played for the Chinese National teams respectively. Also having a beautiful girl friend (who also happens to play for the Chinese national team) is a bonus. Witty no doubt - a true ambassador (just like Hakeem is to his country of birth). Wang stand-off with the Chinese Basket Association last summer of course counts against Wang and ironically FOR Yao.
