Let me spell it out for you... With his size and relative athleticism (I'm actually agreeing with the fact he's athletic for his sizee), one would logically think he'd be more active and actually turn his size/athleticism into more of an ADVANTAGE. Thusly, it is surprising to me that... 1) He constantly tries to draw charges rather than go for blocks. If you need more evidence, please talk to Deke about how frustrating this aspect of Yao's game happens to be. We don't need a 5 playing like a little guy. 2) He doesn't get more blocked shots. This relative athleticism which is the topic of this thread logically lends itself to being more active. Being more active leads to being more defensive. Being more defensive brings us to blocking more shots. 3) He is simply too passive for a man his size with his ability and natural physical dominance over 99.99% of the guys playing against him. Is it because international players are softer than domestic? Is it a cultural thing? I'm not sure what it is, I just know if I were 7'6", I'd be a hell of a beast on the boards and blocks. Most of us would. Yao gets a "decent" amount of rebounds simply because of his size alone, if he played with passion, he'd be one of the most dominant ever to play. The same with blocks. He gets a few (let's say 1.5 a game to make it nice and round) simply because he's tall. He'd get a hell of a lot more if he'd turn his size/athleticism into something powerful. That comes from within and can't be coached/learned/emulated. Want to see how being athletic equals blocks? Hakeem Olajuwon Want to see how being less athletic but being big equals blocks? Dikembe Mutombo Guess what both these guys have in common? Passion. Yao needs some.
Passion=work ethic. He's got both. Not like some of the rockets. He actually gives a crap about the rockets and wants to win.
I'll just add that, in my opinion, Aaron Brooks is our most athletic player. He's as fast as anyone in the league with the ball, and he can throw down alley oops.
If Yao is pound for pound the most athletic Rocket, then we are completely doomed. Fortunately, the premise is false....
It's just hard for me to call Yao our most athletic player when our backup PF who's nearly a foot shorter could probably win a jump ball against him.
Yao is limited to what he can do because of his size. Just because someone is 7’6” does not mean that they can grab rebounds. Height is important in rebounding, but so is quickness and leverage. Yao is not quick and never will be. In fact, the average 7’6” person is not physically able to run let alone play basketball. Your comment that if you were 7’6” you would be a beast on the boards is very immature. You have no idea what it is like being that tall. No concept at all. In fact, look at guys like Manute Bol and Gheorge Muresan. Most guys that tall are weak, slow, and injury prone. You cannot compare him to guys like Deke and Olajuwon. For every inch over 7 foot the body is proportionally weaker, slower, and more fragile.
Athleticism is not always hops and explosivenss, etc. It can include agility, foot quickness, body control, fluidity, etc. Yao has good relatively good fluidity and foot quickness for a player his height and size. HOWEVER, I (and most scouts) wouldn't necessarily say he's "athletic." Most good "athletic" -type of players are very often blessed with good length. Yao does NOT have good length or wingspan, which combined with the fact that he doesn't have very good explosiveness kinda negates the height advantage somewhat (otherwise he wouldn't get blocked so much). But generally, very rarely do you find an athlete his size with his fluidity, footwork, and good (relatively of course) endurance.
Yao is the most athletic guy for his size but that's not really saying much. As for being the most athletic guy on the team? He's probably the worst.
by this logic, olympic track & field should take into account height too? the taller you're, less athletic you need to be to win. milorad cavic should be the champion although phelps outtouched him cause he's 2 inches taller than phelps! that's just genius.
I was thinking the same thing until I started to work out with a weighted vest. It is just difficult for us to fathom what's like to be lugging 300+ lbs around for any stretch of time. I don't think Yao is passion-less. He is just too damn big.
In China, The original has a lot of people because of Tracy McGrady to the Rockets like him, By the start of this season,But still some people like Tracy McGrady has a lot of people began to dislike him Unfortunately,Like his fans are mostly born in 1990 after the beginning of the young people watch NBA,Those who dislike him have seen a multi-year NBA veteran fans, I have read is a 10-year-old NBA fans,Yao Ming did not come in the NBA, I like the Pistons, Pacers, Kings and Trail Blazers, was particularly fond of the bad boys of Legionella, although I have not seen their games. Come to watch games over the years of experience, I allow everyone to talk about: 1、Won the championship team are united team (or maybe you think this is nonsense), is the meaning of unity is the average score, we all make every effort to defense and running 2、Since the abolition of joint limits, scoring has become the team's nightmare,If you do not believe, can go to look at the history of NBA. 3、In many games have been repeatedly shot one or two players,Will not be granted that there is no opportunity to shoot the role players of any help ，This reasons for is also the leader of many failures that his lineup is not strong
I understand that the OP was referring to guys his size..... But Yao and Athletic in the same sentence seriously made me LAWLS.
Exactly. He has some athletic qualities relative to his size and height, but overall no one should call him a good athlete based on physical tools and makeup. But at the same time I wouldn't call him an "average" athlete because he is very coordinated for someone his stature. Doesn't really make sense does it?
I'm not talking about most guys that tall. The topic of discussion is Yao. He is rather unique in that he has athleticism for someone his size. It's logical to think he would do more with it than he does. I don't consider Yao weak or slow (compared with Muresan, Eaton, or other freakish big men). I don't consider him injury prone, although he's had a couple. Most players have a couple but Yao is no Sam Bowie in this regard if you get my drift.
You cannot compare apples to oranges. In the sense Yao is compared to any other true center now or in the past, he is definitely athletic. This is not saying he is the 2nd coming of Jordan. In context, it makes perfect sense. Also - athletic does not equal grace. Yao is athletic but sure isn't graceful. I don't know of many centers that are/were. As smooth as someone like Dwight Howard is, you still can't say they're graceful. Hakeem is the only center I've ever seen that I would call graceful. He was like a 7' guard. One of a kind. If you keep the context within the position of center, it's fine to say Yao is athletic.
i'd say yao is a decent athlete, but he's not the most athletic on the team. that goes to wafer or tmac. i can't believe nobody mentioned wilt or shaq in this topic. wilt is arguably the greatest athlete to ever step a foot on earth and he was about 7'2 320 lbs. during his prime. shaq during his prime was 7'1 and 340 lbs. the things those guys did at their size is unprecedented. dwight howard and hakeem are the only other big men that might give those two a run for their money and even that's a big maybe.
NBA standards: Not athletic at all. 7'6'' guy standards: Very athletic. He has to be compared to people that play the same position, not the same height. If we had a bunch of centers in the league that were 7'4" and above then it would be a different story.
With Yao's skill, he would be more athletic and dominant if he were 7' 2" and gained 20 more lbs. through weight-lifting. With his current height/weight and lateral moving/jumping ability, I can't say he's athletic, let alone the "Most Athletic Rox".
Yao is not a gifted player, maybe height is his only talent, The achievements made by him by the late efforts, he is still not the best center, but it is our pride of Chinese people because he has the attitude to work effort
