Yao Ming Talked About the New Season

pryuen · Oct 31, 2006

Exclusive interview by Titan Sports (Wang Meng) where Yao Ming talked about his aspiration for the new season.

A very lengthy one that took me 3 hours of work.

So enjoy.

http://sports.tom.com/2006-10-30/0424/01894444.html

TITAN: The new season will start immediately. How do you feel now ?

Yao Ming: Well it is certainly much excited at the beginning. But at the present moment, it is still quite tranquil. Have to enjoy the tranquility now as there won't be much chance for it (when the season starts).

TITAN: How is this season different from the previous one ? I refer to your mind set.

Yao Ming: (I have) high hope for this year. Of course we also had very high hope last year. But who on earth would have known that the season would turn out the way it was. Maybe the setback of last season was so big that I dare not place too high an expectation of this new season. But in this league, if you are not proactive and aggressive enough, I mean, if you dare not think high, then you won't be able to reach high, even if you have that capability.

TITAN: So when the Rockets were at its worst last season, have you ever thought that the team will get better in this new season?

Yao Ming: Well, probably towards the end of the regular season when I broke my foot in Utah, I sort of had that feeling. It was like you had a run of bad luck. You've lost your wallet on the street, and there was US$ 10K in it. You stood there crying, while others were comforting you: "It's okay. It's okay. It's just money." You thought so too. But can you guarantee that you will never lose your wallet again ? I just wish I will never lose my wallet again.

TITAN: So what did you do (as a team) to prevent such bad luck will never happen again?

Yao Ming: Well, we just keep changing the hotels that we are staying, just to have that change in atmosphere. Starting this preseason, we have changed all the hotels while we were on the road. They were still 5 star hotels, but the conditions were not as good as the old ones. That hotel in Miami was so dark, and the ceiling was so low. What was worst was that they installed a fan there (hanging down from the ceiling). If not careful, you probably will get a haircut walking below it. And that hotel in Orlando was a very old hotel, and I discovered that it was built in 1920 something. That hotel was so close to the highway that I could not sleep well but hear roaring vehicles speeding by all night long. And early in the morning, sunlight would come through the louvers (of the windows) and wake me up. Well I surely hope by going through these hazards will dispel our bad luck (of the previous season).

TITAN: So the Rockets have completed your preseason series. Do you think your team is ready ?

Yao Ming: We have improved in our overall strengths and have more options now, but we can still spot alot of problems in each of our preseason games. If merely judged from our performance in the preseason, we are not yet ready so far. But I firmly believe that we should be ready soon.

TITAN: So are you prepared?

Yao Ming: I am always in synchronization with the team. When the team is ready, I am ready.

TITAN: So what concrete target you have for yourself for this new season? Say 28 points, 15 rebounds and so on ?

Yao Ming: Hey, this is NBA; it won't be that easy as it is not CBA. These are not that I can decide, as there are lots of influencing factors; for instance, the tactics/game plans of the head coach. In the preseason games, the ball was always passed to me, and therefore I had alot of shot attempts and scoring chance. But if I do not play well, or if there is a match-up issue, the coach might change the game plan; then I may not have that many shot attempts/scoring opportunities. Therefore, there is no way that I can predict my statistics (for the new season).

TITAN: So in your last season, you have reached 22 points and 10 rebounds already. But you had a break of 21 games in between that sort of restore your physical strength. If you can play the full 82-game season this year, do you think your physical strength would adversely affect your statistics?

Yao Ming: Well, I did not just rest lying on my bed while I had that 21 games break last season. I still trained almost every day. I practiced with the tennis balls to improve catching the basketball, and I tried every means to improve my efficiency. Therefore when I had that eruption on court (after I returned from surgery), it was not merely due to my physical strength, but more importantly, it was due to a raise in my efficiency. You may check my statistics during that stretch, and you will find that I had fewer turnovers. Therefore, as far as I am concerned, it will be very important that I can maintain that kind of efficiency. Let me ask you this: have you ever see me retrocede in the passing years?

TITAN: So how will you continue to maintain this kind of efficiency? What do you think are the areas that you need to improve on right now ?

Yao Ming: My fluctuation is just too much. I need to become more consistent. I need to keep my top form up there more, and less time hitting the physical wall. I always have problems coming into the fourth quarter in the past. Now, I must try to become more crutch when it matters most towards the end of the fourth quarter. Moreover, I need to become more stabler in my shooting. I don't think I am shooting that well now.

TITAN: In Miami, you appeared to be playing very aggressive against Shaquille O'Neal ? Is it because you're now more confient ?

Yao Ming: Well, the brave ones will have their stomach full, while the timid ones will be starved to death.

TITAN: This will be the season that everyone expects that you will surpass Shaquille O'Neal. So what do you think ?

Yao Ming: Well some people always wants to make that kind of comparison (of me against Shaquille O'Neal), which I don't. Someone asks me: It is always this kind of comparison. Do you feel bored ? I said: What is the use even if I am bored about this kind of comparison? There is such objective reality. Some people would say we are two different types of players, so dissimilar, and there was really no basis for an objective comparison. But still people would try to compare the two of us. Who asks you to be playing in the same position as Shaq, and to be playing at the same era? It was just like when I was in CBA, I was often compared against Wang Zhizhi. Now as Wang Zhizhi returns to CBA, they will compare Da Zhi against Yi Jianlian. There will always be this kind of comparison. So (if they want), just keep on the comparison. I always welcome that kind of comparison with Shaquille O'Neal. But I won't use the word: Surpass. If you really want to compare, just compare whose team is much better, and then who will then be better.

TITAN: So as far as the entire team is concerned, what target you have set for the new season?

Yao Ming: First and foremost, we have to stay healthy and complete the entire 82-game season as a team. After what we have gone through last season, we now know what injuries and sickness can adversely affected the team. Therefore health should be our first and foremost priority. We can only have good result on the premise that we can stay healthy. (If you really have to ask me) about result specifically, then of course we certainly hope we can advance as deep into the Western Conference playoff as possible. We really want to be able to reach the Final of the Western Conference. But I have learnt one big lesson from last season, which is you need to take one step at a time. If you ask me what is my target for the new season, then we should divide the entire season into phases. You can only plan for the next phase, when you have reached your target of the first phase.

TITAN: Bonzi Wells has finally returned to the team, but he had not played even one preseason game, and no one really knows about his form and body condition. So purely from what you've seen in the team practice, do you think he can take the Rockets to a higher notch ?

Yao Ming: How should I put it ? Well, our bench depth has been greatly enhanced with his joining. Even when he gets to start, one of our original starters will be benched; and even if one of starters is benched, we can still maintain the overall offensive strength on the field. This is very important for our team.

TITAN: Well, according to Carroll Dawson, your General Manager, Bonzi Wells excels in playing with his back to the rim, and he focuses most of his plays in the restricted zone. So when he and you play together, can he relieve your pressure in the interior ? Or rather I should ask, if you're not on the court, can he maintain the same striking power offensively in the interior ?

Yao Ming: This is not a question that I need to consider. I just need to think how can I stay and play longer on the court.

TITAN: So the Rockets played Miami Heats in next to last preseason game. So playing away in the home court of the NBA championship team, how far is the Rockets from the Miami Heats?

Yao Ming: How far? We are just separated by the official score-keeping desk.

TITAN: Ha Ha Ha.... I mean, perhaps one day, you can also lead the Rockets to the NBA championship. In your opinion, how long will it take? How far can you go ?

Yao Ming: If we can stay healthy, if we keep a team of our current strength, I would say, another 3 to 4 years.

TITAN: You had said before the way that the current Rockets is built is patterned very similar to Miami Heats: very good exterior shooters, a great mid-range perimeter player, and then a dominant centre in the interior. So the Miami Heats won the championship last season. Does it sort of boost your confidence ?

Yao Ming: The reality is already there. Their success let us know that the present route we are taking is a feasible one. We shall persist in our current path.

TITAN: In the past 4 seasons, there had been various on-court instances that were imperishable in the minds of the fans. The fans all remembered such on-court fragments. Can you name us 3 off-court incidents that left the most impression in you or 3 off-court incidents that affected you most ?

Yao Ming: (After some pondering) Well, I still remembered my first day in Compaq Centre (the old Rockets stadium). I just arrived Houston on that day, and I arrived at Compaq Centre. Steve Lao Da Francis and Cuttino the Cat Mobley handed my #11 jersey to me. We were playing our preseason game that day. You know which team we were playing with ? Ha Ha Ha....(it was) Orlando Magic. I recieved my jersey, and Tracy McGrady was looking at me on the bench. I then sat down and watched the game, and I thought hey this #1 player played with great skills. Who would have known at that time, it was for him that Steve and Cat were traded later on? Well, when you looked back on such things, sometimes it seems like it was destined to happen that way.

Then on the second day, after we had gone through our team practice, Lao Da drove me to play golf with these sponsors at a golf centre. That was my close encounter of the first kind with Lao Da. Well it rained afterwards, so we ended up not playing any golf. Steve was engaged in some conversations then with the sponsors. I could not understand English then, so I just listened. Then we came back from the golf centre. Well this second incident was just separated from the first incident by an evening.

The third incident was that evening that I completed my first NBA season. Before then, I only knew how exhausted I would be after running 3200 meters, but can you imagine how tired I was after completing a full 82-game season ? And for a season that had such ups and downs ? (I still remembered) we were playing in Denver that evening; so we flied back to Houston. And when I got down from the plane, I suddenly felt that I was drained of all my strength. I was still feeling alright when I was on the plane; but when I got onto the ground, I felt sort of paralysed, and I could no longer drive my car home. I just told Colin Pine that I would leave my car at the airport, and requested him to drive me home. Once I got onto his car, I just dropped dead and went to sleep.

TITAN: Okay....let's talk about people. Just name us 3 of your most unforgettable people.

Yao Ming: Only 3. There are so many unforgettable persons, but I will just name the 3 most unforgettable ones. Steve Francis. I don't think I need to say anything more about Steve. Bostjan Nachbar. During the first season, while we were playing away, I did not know what to do alone in my hotel room, and for the majority of time, we played together on our computer games, XBOX, and those made me so happy. Rudy Tomjanovich. If not for him, I would not have come this far.

TITAN: If one day, Jeff Van Gundy also leaves the Rockets. Will you also think of him ?

Yao Ming: Jeff ? Not to mention he will leave the Rockets one day. Now, even if he is not around during the summer, I have been thinking about him alot. You know people tend to be lazy sometimes. I also tend to be lazy sometimes while I was in Beijing or Shanghai. I just hope I have someone as strict and demanding as Jeff who constantly supervises and watches over me. I have never met anyone as strict and demanding as Jeff Van Gundy.

TITAN: All your unforgettable incidents and people came from your rookie season. So after that ?

Yao Ming: After that ? On one hand, alot of things are not as new and fresh to you anymore; on the other hand, I think I am already adapted and accustomed to that kind of life. When I first came here, everything was unique as a dot; afterwards everything just became fragmented.

TITAN: So have your ultimate dream changed ?

Yao Ming: No it has not. NBA Championship and 2008 (Olympics).
Click to expand...

OddsOn · Oct 31, 2006

WOW thanks a bunch Pryuen. Your efforts are certainly appreciated.

BenignDMD · Oct 31, 2006

Thanks a lot man

brantonli24 · Oct 31, 2006

3 HOURS? Pryuen's hard work is limitless!

BenignDMD · Oct 31, 2006

I wish that I had found your wallet with 10K in it!

robbie380 · Oct 31, 2006

wow awesome stuff...what does lao da mean?

Mr Boo · Oct 31, 2006

As always, thanks pryuen!

Tigerknee · Oct 31, 2006

robbie380 said:

what does lao da mean?
Click to expand...

When you want someone to speak up, say 'lao da'

edit - I have no idea

pryuen · Oct 31, 2006

robbie380 said:

wow awesome stuff...what does lao da mean?
Click to expand...

Lao Da means Big boss......or Big Brother. Yao Ming often referred to Steve Francis as Lao Da !!

Houston Native · Oct 31, 2006

Interesting read. Thanks again pryuen.

Xenochimera · Oct 31, 2006

robbie380 said:

wow awesome stuff...what does lao da mean?
Click to expand...

it means old big, literally. so its a reference to people who are old then you, whom you would respect. i think its a common reference by the triads when they refer to their bosses.

JayZ750 · Oct 31, 2006

Thanks pruyen...cool article.

The_Yoyo · Oct 31, 2006

so yao thinks a ring in 3-4 years. hmm i dont know about that, hopefully sooner.

jli · Oct 31, 2006

robbie380 said:

wow awesome stuff...what does lao da mean?
Click to expand...

Big Brother.

vlaurelio · Oct 31, 2006

did the heat stay in crappy hotels last year too?

zhaozhilong · Oct 31, 2006

robbie380 said:

wow awesome stuff...what does lao da mean?
Click to expand...

"Lao Da" means big boss or big brother, the leader of a pack.

zhaozhilong · Oct 31, 2006

Wow, our explanations for "Lao Da" seem to be so consistent.

KeepKenny · Oct 31, 2006

Yao's still hilarious. That hotel story was great. Are they really staying at different hotels in hopes of better karma?

cook · Oct 31, 2006

You've done a excellent job.

Luffy1 · Oct 31, 2006

Time to cut someone and bring back Boki!

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