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ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
Yao Ming: The Next Asian Superstar?
(Updated
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025, 06:38:56 AM)
he sweetest moment for Asian men in American sports came on June 26, 2002 at Madison Square Garden. The Houston Rockets had just spent their number one overall draft pick on 7-5 Chinese center Yao Ming over 6-2 Duke guard Jay Williams. The largely black crowd of draft prospects and their contingents had reason to be displeased. For the past quarter century black athletes had dominated pro basketball and they saw Yao as a subversive force, an alien threat. Even Charles Barkley -- Yao's basketball idol -- sniped at Houston's choice and hinted at bad consequences.
David or Goliath?
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In the global sports scene blacks have come to represent all-around athletic prowess. Asian athletes, on the other hand, have been painted as disciplined and skilled but lacking power and size, able to excel only in sports no one cares about. For an Asian to get the top pick in a black-dominated sport was heresy.
To appreciate what Yao represents to Asian American men requires a quick trip down memory lane. And we do mean quick. The lane is short and sparsely populated.
In the beginning there was Sammy Lee, the first Asian American to win Olympic gold. He did it with 10-meter platform diving at the 1948 London games and again in 1952 at the Helsinki games. Not exactly a marquee sport, but inspiring nevertheless in a time when Asian Americans hardly knew what to call themselves.
Then came Michael Chang whose 1989 French Open championship has passed into tennis legend. Cramping and down two sets to Ivan Lendl in the round of 16, the 17-year-old phenom dared to discombobulate the Ice Man with moonballs and an underhanded serve. The ploy worked. The proof that Chang's nerves and speed were real came in the classic 5-set finals victory against Stefan Edberg. But Chang's recent ignomious descent into tennis twilight raises the suspicion that he simply lacks the size and power to stay in the power game.
It wasn't until Hideo Nomo joined the Dodgers in 1995 that an Asian athlete was able to inspire sustained frenzy in one of the big-three sports. Nomo's martian windup and delivery proved so effective that he set Dodgers strikeout records, made the All-Stars and inspired Nomomania.
By 2001 when Ichiro Suzuki joined the Mariners, Asian imports taking Rookie of the Year honors had practically become a Major League tradition. But none had done it with Ichiro's flair or sunglasses. It wasn't enough that he led the game in hitting and basestealing, he seemed determined to make it look easy. Sex appeal had finally come to the image of the Asian male athlete.
But the image still lacked something in many AA minds. Sure, for a leadoff hitter Ichiro hit his share of home runs, but he was known for speed and finesse, not power. Having chafed so long under stereotypes denying them size and strength, AA men longed for a star who could knock those assumptions back into the last millennium.
Eyes turned longingly to football as the obvious arena for the ultimate stereotype smasher -- and saw only Dat Nguyen of the Dallas Cowboys. As a promising linebacker, Nguyen doesn't enjoy the cache of a star offensive back. And at 5-11 and 240 pounds, Nguyen isn't exactly in the 99th percentile in terms of size and power among football players.
Asian American eyes were drawn to basketball by a trio of giants known collectively as "The Great Wall". They were very big for the Chinese national team. First to make his NBA debut was Wang Zhizhi (7-1, 220 pounds) in April 2001. As a center for the Dallas Mavericks he has averaged 5.5 points per 10.6 minutes of playing time per game. A respectable stat for any rookie but disappointing for those who had hoped for an instant Asian star. Then came Mengke Bateer (6-11, 290 pounds) in February of 2002. Despite 15.1 minutes of play per game as a center for the Denver Nuggets, he too disappointed some with an average 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds.
Enter the Dragon. At a height variously described as 7-5 or 7-6, Yao Ming, 22, is at once the tallest and youngest of the trio. In the past two years his weight shot up from 255 to 295 pound -- and he's still growing. His gifts extend beyond size, however. He moves a foot shorter. Born to a pair of former stars for the Chinese national teams, his court instincts and skills are practically dyed-in-the-wool.
And yet Yao isn't a lock to defy the darker prognostications of his prospects as a Rocket. He was regularly outplayed by Wang Zhizhi when both were playing in China. Even with Yao, Wang and Mengke, the Chinese national team routinely lost to second-tier powers like France and Lithuania. Yao has never gone up against the likes of Shaquille O'Neal. The adjustment to life in the U.S. will be long and difficult. In short, Yao Ming is ideally positioned to become the biggest disappointment in the history of Asians in American sports.
Is Yao Ming the next Asian superstar? Or is he more likely to reinforce the image of Asian men as also-rans in power sports?
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WHAT YOU SAY
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B. Lee,
Right on!!! Good comment. We should be glad that they made it, not like asain can't play or anthing. And Yao made it as #1 pick is quiet impressive.
Right on
Thursday, August 01, 2002 at 08:54:41 (PDT)
Guys.... I think the question of how well Yao Ming will do in the NBA is RELATIVE.
Will he be the next Kareem Adbul Jabbar or Hakeem Olajuwon, the best finesse centers in NBA history? No, it's not that likely.
Will he be a very solid player as he develops? That much is certain, assuming that he is tough enough to take his knocks like a man and continue to work hard to improve in the NBA. He will certainly surpass the level of Rik Smits sometime in his career if he works hard on his aggressiveness and strength. I will venture to say that at the top of his game/career in the NBA, he will average 15-18 points, 9-12 rebounds, 2-3 assists, and 3-5 blocks a season. This is a conservative estimate, IMO.
I"m not expert... but this is how I feel.
Thursday, August 01, 2002 at 02:07:28 (PDT)
I don't think that Yao Ming will be the Asian superstar overnight (one season). If he gives himself some time to adjust in playing in the NBA, he is going to rise. It's not truly that easy to compete in professional leveled sports. Yao Ming HAS GOT TO start of light in small steps, then work intensely later on. That's one of the ways to be successful in sports, especially in the NBA. Don't take my word for it.
dsfbcbsijbdax
Wednesday, July 31, 2002 at 18:36:41 (PDT)
Yao will probably be an alright player just due to his height, but let's not get carried away and think he's going to be 25-10-5 type player and lead the Rockets to the Finals. They're out in the West. A lot of tough teams are at the West.
I'm still waiting for Wang to be more productive. I had hopes for him last season, but he didn't even get to play much. I'm not going to wish too much from Yao yet. He's only 4 inches taller than Wang, and Wang's a better shooter, and Wang probably has more handles.
Will Chang
Wednesday, July 31, 2002 at 16:11:35 (PDT)
Dear Chinatown,
Yes, I do mean about Kenyon Martin. I'm sorry. I rushed into writing my column that I did not notice my mistake. Yes, the former no.1 pick in the NETS is Kenyon Martin. But the things I wrote that there are 200 million registered basketball players in China with NBA height are absolutely accurate. Don't tell that out of that 200 million none can play exceptionally well in the NBA.
Come on, dudes? Anyone who refuses that is nothing but a selfish individual who probably doesn't try to watch as many basketball games as possible and probably not even a basketball fan but maybe an angry person who doesn't want Asians to be in a top league and do well.
That man has potential. That's all I could say. Thank you, Chinatown that there are actually people who watch basketball, not just those who say they are Laker fans claiming to know basketball. "Yeah I'm a Laker fan. I know basketball." That kind of attitude does not result into reasoning. If you follow just one team, you are not a true fan. You are just a fan of a certain basketball team, but not the sport of basketball. But those who watch basketball in particular, not just their team are true fans.
No wonder Shaq has dominated. He's strong, but has no shooting touch what-so-ever and in additon to that he has excellent teammates like Kobe, Fox, Fisher, and Horry. Without those guys, he would just be an ordinary center who has to come close to the basket everytime he wants to score. Don't tell me that the Lakers would have won the championship without Kobe. No way! Without his clutch performances, Horry's threes, Fisher's support in the outside, and Fox's passing skills it would not have been possible. Therefore, a coach always has to draft Kobe-like, Fisher-like, Fox-like, and Horry-like players for Shaq to perform well. Anyone who discredits Kobe's performance does not watch basketball.
Try putting Shaq in the Golden State Warriors, the Bulls, and the Caveliers where the shooting skills and passing skills are poor. I think not! He would dominate physically, but will always lose because he won't have good players backing him up like in L.A. And with a free throw shooting like that. No way!
In top of it all, Shaq will never face anyone like Yao. With a shooting touch like that, he doesn't have to come close to Shaq, where Shaq is dangerous. He elbows and does everything in his advantage to weaken the center of the opposing team, which is why has dominated. The center of the opposing team can't shoot either. And what's the guy to do? Shoot threes? Shoot an eighteen foot shot that he'll just flyball? Of course he's always going to try to dunk. But they just can't. Not against Shaq. No, no, no, way! With all of that, Yao can also block shots up to 5 feet away and Shaq would not be able to block his shots.
And stop critizing Wang Zhizhi. That man is trying to find minutes, but will never get if he stays in a team with plenty of shooting powerhouse people who happen to be non-Asians. As a free-agent, he has to try to sign with the Warriors and get an agent who can make it possible. Get out of the Mavericks, Wang. You'll be a hit there.
Ray
Wednesday, July 31, 2002 at 13:43:20 (PDT)
Your quarreling is muddling the issue. Names like Shawn Bradley and Rik Smits have been mentioned, let's us not forget other notable such as Ralph Sampson and Vlade Divac. Here is my take on Yao, if he can play like Smits and Divac then he will have at least a solid pro to an all star career. Divac is a smart center and he play within himself. Smits was very good, unfortunately injuries did him in. You people only think in the extremes. There is a good chance that Yao could turn out to be a solid pro and not a bust or a super star.
Shaq is great but not without flaw. Like a big bully, he's a little lost when there's a real challenge on the horizon. Remember Hakeem's sweep of Shaq's Orlando. Another one come to mind is Duncan's 4-0 bagel of the Lakers not too long ago. Don't get me wrong, Shaq is the best right now but he's not invincible. I saw that same befuddled look in Shaq's face when he went against CWebb and Divac and I don't have to remind how close (holding my thumb and index finger)the Lakers came to being eliminated by the Kings.
Tay Trai
Wednesday, July 31, 2002 at 13:25:21 (PDT)
People,
Hoops is right. Most of you guys are DELUSIONAL. I speak truthfully and point out the Yao's potential and realistic weaknesses, and I get labelled for scandalizing Asians?!? What the f.. is wrong with some of you people? Use your brains. I'm Asian.
But too bad! Unlike most of you small minded people, I use my freaking integrity to form opinions instead of simply cultural blood connections. If there's an Asian candidate running for office, and I don't agree with him, I won't automatically vote for him. And likewise, if I think there's an Asian athlete that's getting more hype than he deserves, I won't support it. It does more harm than good.
If we Asians go supporting or endorsing things or people that we don't really believe in, it will only hurt our voices at the end if those high expectations are never met. It's not the way to form credibility by misleading and selling on hype.
I'm admitting it. My honest opinion is that Yao will have a ton of trouble adapting to the game. Just like Wang or Bateer. This is not to say Yao will never develop, but as of now, he's far from polished. He's no Duncan or Shaq, players that were able to contribute immediately. Yao's still a BIG BIG question mark. He's a huuuuuuuuuge project. Even the Rockets know that. WHy can't some Asian folks?
I have given both praise and criticism to Yao. I'm Asian, so of course, it's good to see a fellow Asian make it to the pro's, but truthfully, I don't see how any of this frekaing hype is helping him. In fact, I really think it is producing more adverse effects because all the spotlight is directed at him. The man doesn't need this kind of scrutiny. And why automatically give him all this kind of pressure and throw in these unrealistic expectations? I'd much rather have Yao go drafted unnoticed and then suddenly break out and surprise everyone.
But it's too late. When you make the cover of ESPN magazine and people call you the Athlete of the next decade or whatever, there's really no turning back on the hype machine. Right now, he's definitely overhyped. Screw Bill Walton and all the journalists in the hype media trying to make a buck.
At the end, I just don't want the rest of the world to assume that Chinese officials fooled America by sending a fake package. I don't know! Hopefully he is not! But I'm not guaranteeing that he will be a big hit neither!! But right now, all expecations are that he should be.
If Yao turns out to be a bust, it would create damaged and irrepairable credibility, and that would certainly end the dreams of most future stars that are still playing in China today.
I say, "just let the dude f***ing play, and get off his nuts, and downplay all these outlandish expectations!" Hyping does him absolutely no good except helping him ink early shoe deals.
ps: no hoops, never been to utah before.
Dan Wang
Wednesday, July 31, 2002 at 12:43:33 (PDT)
Chinatown,
The problem with your argument is that Dirk and KG play small forward most of the time. I doubt the Rockets will put Yao at the 3 position...especially since he won't be able to guard guys like KG, Vince Carter or even Wally Szerbiak. And Tim Duncan definitely does not have guard skills. He plays with his back to the basket on the blocks almost all the time. Most of his shots are bankers off the glass.
Shaq is the typical lumbering center with bad guard skills and he is by far the most dominant player in the NBA. If Yao wants to become an upper echelon center, he's gonna have to learn to play with his back to the basket down low and occasionally pop an outside shot. And seriously, none of the 3 Chinese centers have a strong post game. That's why Wang Zhizhi is playing the 3 most of the times. Who knows, Yao might end up playing power forward before its all over like Ralph Sampson who was 7'4" because he was not the true center that Olajuwon was.
Hope Yao is a success in the NBA, but the style of play in the CBA is not conducive to playing center in the NBA. Even Wang said in his initial press conference that the style of big men play in the NBA is "cruel."
Hope to see some seriously athletic Asian/AA guys in the NBA slam dunk contest someday.
c-web
Wednesday, July 31, 2002 at 12:17:03 (PDT)
Hoops,
Orlando lost with the Dominating Shaq on their team. Like I keep mentioning its a team sport. And Shaq took the lost at Orlando as a life experience to push his free throwing skills to somewhat more respectable levels.
So the question is whether or not Yao will be a respectable player in the NBA? I think the answer to that is pretty obvious.
The next question is will Yao rise to superstardom in the NBA and be on a box of Wheatie? Well there are other factors besides B-ball skills that will determine this.
The most critical question is whether or not Yao will walk away with a championship ring while in the NBA? Well, as we see with the Shaq example it depends on other members of the team to obtain that goal.
AC Dropout
Wednesday, July 31, 2002 at 12:12:03 (PDT)
Dan Wang, you make some solid arguments, and I don't really see Yao being as effective in the immediate future. However, that does not mean he cannot develop once he adjusts. He's definitely a project player that will take time, but the future is anyone's guess. And yea, dude needs to play more aggressive. That layup bulls*** is for 5-10 guards.
Warrant
Wednesday, July 31, 2002 at 12:02:14 (PDT)
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