There is no way the Mavs or Rockets can force a player foreign or otherwise to play for their NT. Any contract Ming may sign with the Rockets must comply with the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). Can you imagine the players union agreeing to a player contract that would make such requirements? It is not going to happen. Distinguishing between a foreign born and American player in such a manner would be impossible under the current agreement. If that's China's price, it's impossible to pay.
frankly i don't know what is sadder, a country whose best players can't be bothered to play for the national team (US) or a country that uses contract threats to force their best players to play for the national team (China)...
I'm curious: Did the China NT for soccer make a similar demand to the Euro leagues when their star player refused to report? The three Chinese soccer players just started their first season in EPL this year. They arent that good by EPL's standards, and EPL teams would probably release them whenever they are called upon. By far, such situations havent occurred yet, because China decisided to send its youth team to compete in the upcoming Asian Games. The next world cup qualification games will not start in another 3 years. So Yao and Wang's situations kinda stand alone in China right now.
That's an insightful thought. Just one little modification: Wang wanted to play for the NT (and so did Yao Ming). So, no forcing needed there. Wang just didn't want to train with them.
HP, I was referring to his national rights, not his basketball. If China wants him back home, he either goes or they come and get him. The Rox may own his basketball rights, but china can recal his "physical" rights anytime they want, and these would supercede his basketball rights. i totally agree w/ your basketball comments.
Once Wang Zhi Zhi was in the United States, signed his contract with the Mavericks and it was approved by the, NBA the CBA lost any "physical" control of him whatsoever. And the Chinese government knows that. If they thought Stern could somehow step in and void the contract just because the Chinese government was upset, then they have no concept of the American judicial system, and that's baloney. If the Knicks sign Wang the only thing the Chinese can do is tell the Knicks they will not receive another Chinese player, that's it. Think the Knicks care? Maybe they should, I think the Mavs do and we know the Rockets do for the time being. I think the Chinese government may be trying to sound tough for their own people, but they know the bottom line. This thread is probably meaningless, but it does make me wonder how frank those "frank" discussions were with the Chinese when the Rockets were there. American frankness is offensive to a lot of cultures. Hard to imagine our lawyer saying to the CBA about Wang "you know there's nothing you, the Mavs or the NBA can do, because Zhi Zhi is an NBA player, has talent and several teams will want to sign him because this is a very tough business and our contracts are governed by our agreement with the players union and our courts. Bottom line is you want to win, you need the NBA and if you aren't understanding of your NBA players, you're screwed. Good luck in 2008, by the way." So, however nicely put, the Chinese probably still were infuriated with Wang Zhi Zhi after their meeting with him before the WBCs. If Yao Ming has said he will retire if he does not play for the Rox this year then Wang and Yao' situation may indeed be related. If that ends up being true. Yao's popularity in China could be a help or a hindrance. I don't think anyone knows anything at this point about what the Chinese will do, Stern, the Rox, Yao or any of us here. If this "blows up" I won't blame the Rox (I'LL BE PISSED OFF), and even though I hate the Knicks, I'll be a huge Wang Zhi Zhi fan because I'm an American first and basketball is just my favorite sport.
He better be. On Draft Night TNT showed a NBA LIVE 2003 game clip of Yao shooting a jumper over Shaq. But then again, NBA LIVE left Griffin off the game last year, which is why I did not use the current Rockets team a lot last year. Who Knows?
It was reported in Chinese media today (http://sports.sohu.com/76/36/sports_news164953676.shtml) that one official from CBA is still in US after the WBC. His job is to persuade Wang Zhizhi to go back to China to participate in the Asian Games. I think it is highly unlikely that Yao Ming will sign the contract with Houston before the end of Asian Games.
As long as we sign the guy before the season starts cuz the last thing we want to see, and i think everyone will agree with me, is Cato startin........bad memories........
I thought Wang wanted to play for the NT but was barred as a punishment for his failing to report to the team.
The 'problem' is caused by the fact that Wang Zhi Zhi at the WBC refused to go back and play in the Asian Games. Thats why they refused to let him play on the NT at the WBC. He wants to go to NBA Training Camp. Someone has to sort out this situation, or we will be in trouble!
Whatever. Troll crap. Pretty amusing though that one article pops up like this and all of a sudden we have fans of other teams saying that the pick was "burned". First they say Ming is a project and will be another Bradley. Now that Ming looks impressive they can't wait to jump on an article and say the Rockets "burned" a #1 pick. But since you seem to know the Chinese government, ask them if they can stop a player from retiring.
Yetti, don't panic. But there's nothing anyone can do except the Chinese authorities. Wang Zhi Zhi has stood his ground in the U.S. because he can and because I believe he wants to help the Chinese NT by getting better. He wanted to play at the WBCs and to be at an NBA training camp. Playing at the Asian games defeats his original purpose. I would hope that China's bizarre play at the WBCs might give the CBA pause. Apparently there are too many of their jobs on the line to be objective. Wang Zhi Zhi would be a fool to give up now, he has a chance to prove he's a loyal Chinese citizen and a conscientious objector. That may not play well in China, it rarely does here or anywhere.
How can one say Wang cares about helping China's basketball when he refuse to play in the Asian games and Asian games are qualifiers for the 2004 Olympics? And what about Bateer and Yao who also have their NBA careers to take care of? why should they play for China if Wang should stay in USA? and if all three of them refuse to play the Asian games, saying it's a waste of time, then China won't be eligible for the Olympics. Of course, Amricans and Wang ZhiZhi don't need to give a damn to Chinese basketball, but I and millions of Chinese basketball fans do!!! China and Chinese basketball fans need Wang now, not in the future, and not after Wang drew blank check and disregard his country's interest as an army captain. I know there's some Wang fans around, but face it people, Wang is the one who's at the most fault in Yao Ming contractual issues here.
I agree with Panda completely. One may argue that had Wang was allowed to leave China two years earlier, Wang would've developed better. He then might not need to stay here for the summer camp or pre-season camp. But, folks, you forgot that "Wang is a army captain and should serve the army's and country's interests first. " When David Robinson was drafted by the NBA, he was a officer in the US Nacy, he had to wait until his term was up. The same should have applied to Wang. To to honest, there are people on this BBS and elsewhere who use double-standards when judging about this issue. Wang ZhiZhi is simply very selfish which is not surprising. Unlike Yao Ming who always passes his ball to his teammates when needed, Wang ZhiZhi was well known in China to take the ball most of the time himself. That is why I have complete confidence in Yao Ming's loyalty to China and Chinese NT - something a lot of BBS are very naive about!
Why should Yao be held up for something that Wang did? Yao is playing in all international competitions for China.
