MadMax, So you are not talking about ever or age or is first x game, but you are talking about just one game. OK. I still disagree. It was not the best passing display for one game by a center ever.
Jeeeeeez .... I didn't think MadMax's post, or mine, was that hard to follow, but I guess they were .... If I may presume to speak for MadMax. Yao Ming has 21 career assists. Nobody is saying that today Yao is a better passer than Walton, Sabonis, etc. MadMax is saying that for one game Yao passed as well as any center he has seen. While HP and others may disagree, the more important point is that, taking into account all of the circumstances, Yao has already demonstrated the ability to be the best passing center, and perhaps the best passing big man, in NBA history. Keep in mind that MadMax's sample is of Yao's 20th or so game, in a league Yao is not familiar with, and with teammates that he has known for only two months and not even had the benefit of going through training camp with. Yao's vision, passing skills, and court awareness are extremely impressive under those circumstances. If one can assume a reasonably healthy career, it is not unreasonable to think that Yao could surpass Walton, Sabonis and the others as a passer. In fact, I would bet on it. Calling HP. For the benefit of the cause of course. Big Red averaged 3.4 dimes for his career, 5.0 in his MVP season. I will bet you $20 that Yao averages better than 3.4 assists for the rest of the season, a generous offer under the circumstances. If Yao doesn't stay healthy, we both pay (in more ways than one). But just don't take my word for Yao's skills (somehow I don't think HP will ). If you watched last nights Mavs/Spurs game, Big Red himself compared Yao to Magic .... (paraphrasing) "Yao is making passes that only Magic made." Walton's hyperbole about Yao went on and on and kind of got ridiculous, but there's nothing new about that.
If you remember the World Championship games when China played the USA, China put on a great first 10 minutes of the game and during that stretch Yao had 2 awesome assists. I distinctly remember that because that's when I knew the Rockets picked a player and not just another 7 foot stiff. Thank you declan32001, I mentioned it earlier. The only center to lead the league in assists wasn't Walton, it wasn't Kareem, it wasn't Divac, it wasn't Sabonis, IT WAS WILT THE STILT CHAMBERLAIN. The guy is the Babe Ruth of basketball. 100 point a game scorer, the greatest points a game for a season 50.1, at the time the greatest scorer of all time, the greatest rebounder of all time and if they had kept stats in those days the greatest shot blocker of all time. And to top it off he LED THE LEAGUE IN ASSISTS 1 year. As a big favor to me please mention his name when you talk about centers who were great assist men
no man it's because yao's presence....if u watched the replay again....u could see yao holding off webber,,,and vlade concerned covering stevie would result a freebie for yao...since he's that close to the basket....and for jackson....i thought he's too far to defend stevie
Walton was giving Yao props last night during the game between the Mavericks and Spurs. He even link Yao to Magic Johnson as far as the way Yao had make passes recently. When the Mavericks or the Spurs make a great play, he compare them to Magic and Yao. He keep mentioning Yao and the Rockets many times over the course of the games. I guess it take a great Center to appreciate greatness when he see one. I guess it is a great honor for Yao to be compare with Magic since it is coming from one of the best passing center in the history of the game. He also said the Rocket is an up and coming team and with Steve and Yao they are the team to watch.
"He is really going to be a treat to watch. His greatest skill is his passing. I don’t see anything but bright things ahead for him if they can get him the ball." - Sacramento guard Bobby Jackson
I think Yao will become a better passer than Divac and maybe Walton, but not Sabonis. Sabonis' passes make most point guards look foolish.
ya sabonis had somthin special there but i tell ya wht ill take these passes anyday forget comparing favorably to other centers, no other current center can even hang with him (sabonis doesnt count cuz hes not wht he wuz). also u cant forget hes a rookie who barely understands american life. oh ya dont forget hes also scorin, boardin, blockin, and just frustratin the enitre league as a rook. gotta love this guy
