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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 booed. They 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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What's wrong with this picture?
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 at 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
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
Ray
Qingpeng Zhang, a 6'1 point from China, that you praised..... he sucks.
Wishful thinking never stops
Wednesday, August 21, 2002 at 06:12:42 (PDT)
All of you are jealous.
Not to be rude, but tell me what other Asian team has made it to this year's World Basketball Championships besides China?
You really think they got no potential? Last year, Wang Zhizhi scored 18 points in 22 minutes against Memphis.
Give them some playing time, and they will have opportunity to blossom. They just need more exposure.
ball up
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 22:27:47 (PDT)
ACtually that Canadian who muscled Yao Ming was 260 pounds, not 220 pounds.
Just clarifying
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 21:10:11 (PDT)
all you yao ming doubters "UNTIL HE PLAYS HIS FIRST GAME" should shut the hell up! You have no right to judge the guy when he hasn't even play yet ..sheesh..same racist media people said the same thing about Ichiro guess he shut them up
give the guy a chance
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 19:54:58 (PDT)
To everyone on this site blasting Yao Ming: give me a break! The Houston Rockets and Rudy T. would not waste a number one draft pick on someone who will be a total bust. I know everyone on this sites plays basketball and watches basketball, but have any of you played in the NBA? Rudy T did and he also has coached in the NBA for more than a decade and has coached great players such as Olajuwon and Thorpe. Rudy T knows big men, and he would not casually waste a number one pick. The Rockets did their due diligence, and believe that Yao has great potential. None of you naysayers has the credentials nor experience to outright denigrate the judgment of Rudy T and the Rockets, who have won two NBA World Championships. How many NBA championships have you naysayers won?
Realist
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 19:18:56 (PDT)
Jing Cha and Kevin, the great thing about sports is that things play out on the pitch or court. We will see in 6 or 7 years time. If Yao still stinks, then I admit, I will be wrong. If Yao and China become strong, then you two will be eating your words and probably jumping on the bandwagon like fair-weather losers.
There is no question that Yao did not play well. On the other hand, players get immensely better from age 21 to age 30. There is just a world of difference. Remember Shaq when he was 21? He couldn't even win his conference in the NCAA.
And another point to Jing Cha: you seem to have a major complex and bitterness towards your own people. Give it up traitor. Your attitude and racism towards Chinese is sick and pathetic. I have no doubt that you are a failure in life and a failure in everything that you do.
You say that Chinese cannot compete in physical sports? You are full of it. Did you see the gold medals won at the Olympics? You are blind, and a racist to boot. Loser.
Realist
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 18:53:28 (PDT)
Chinatown,
I'm Asian, and I believe Yao's game is a bit overhyped, so does that make me a pessimistic self-hating Asian?
Your reasoning is not only ridiculous, but borderline pathetic. You should really learn some social skills before you crawl out of your hole to interact with other Asians. Not all of us are as narrowminded as you. FORTUNATELY!
Jared
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 18:35:12 (PDT)
jing cha:
Posting with a Chinese name like that, you could make anyone sick. Please, don't post with it anymore. It's just sickening, and I'm hardly in a mood to be bedridden.
The man wasn't 220. He was 260. It was Anderson who muscled his way (wrestled his way due to terrible un-NBA officiating in a trivial exhibition game) not the starting center for Canada.
Could all of these anti-Yao sentiments be a result of ethnic envy from other Asian groups? The fact that all three Asian players in the NBA are Chinese, and that one Chinese happened to set basketball history by being the first foreigner with no US college ball experience to be drafted first overall? That is quite very possible.
chinatown
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 17:21:27 (PDT)
Chinatown must be the biggest ignorant asian here. I don't like Asian imports, so I'm anti-asian?? and I don't like kim chee, so that makes me a self-hating korean too, huh??? That's the most ignorant reasoning I've ever heard from an asian. he must be an extreme racist, but he's stupid because he's accusing other asians to be self-hating just because they don't necesssarily agree with his myopic and narrowminded views.
Yao is ok.
but make no mistake about it. 7'9" Michael Ri would have dunked on his ass every time.
Brian Kim
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 13:59:25 (PDT)
Phil the thrill,
You must be insane to post this asinine message:
"Yao Ming will be the best in the NBA...no question about it, no question...and hoops ur lucky goldsea.com ddint let me post my other messages...u wanan take this outside??? Fist to Fist? If yeah just name the place and time...ill be there
phil the thrill"
Like I said Phil, I'll meet you outside your sanitarium tonite at 8 you dummy.
LAKA
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 13:26:25 (PDT)
jing cha,
I read some of your post from other forum and i've notice that all you have are criticism.
you,
"china has never been good in sports with the exception of table tennis. a game that requires no muscle, no power, no stamina, just concentration and focus.
yet america defeated china in the tt championship."
comment,
I guessed what you mean by "table tennis" is ping pong, right? So where did you get this idea, can you provide some proof of this? If china isn't good in any power sport than can you explain how china is the third country in the world to get the most medal at the olympic. Any way what is tt?
you,
"china could never compete in football unless they were ready to sacrifice lives."
comment,
What does this mean, sacrifice lives? You need to state your opinion clearly b/c some people here may not be able to understand you.
you,
"he got knocked around by a canadian baller who weighted 220 and he is gonna beat shaq?"
comment,
The canadian guy is not as you said "220", he is 250 and claim to bench 335 lbs. But you do have to admit that Mind does have talent. A quote by Anderson on my part,"Yao was the most talented center [I've] ever has faced".
you,
"if he is smart he will quite basketball and live the rest of his life on 5 million dollars as america's tallest chinese man."
comment,
Sorry to say but this is the stupidest thing you wrote. I think you are so racist and ignorant for putting this up. Why can't he try playing for the NBA? Just b/c one little failure then he should back down. Gosh!! If all the NBA player are like this then NBA is in the garbage. Do you know that people succeed only through failure? My friend this is what you have to learn in life. All basketplayer went through strugle at one time or another. Believe me, even ALL STAR. Sorry to bust your bubble but this is the truth. "Yes", Shaq had trouble at times too.
you,
"in short, yao ming is ideally positioned to become the biggest disappointment in the history of asians in american sports. "
comment,
any proof? People who fail don't mean they can't come out successful. It's like the time when you first ride your bike, how many time have you fall before you can actually ride a bike. I will say hundreds, but if you back down. You will never learn how to ride a bike. Same thing with Ming. He will be right back up there and will get better.
Another View
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 12:56:13 (PDT)
jing ja,
you are a realist. not obtuse like most of these fools who have warped minds. let the bias go, and you will see for once. otherwise, you guys are just unrealists.
run and gunna
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 12:33:21 (PDT)
Chinatown
"fu man, you scarcely have anything good to say about Yao ming. You're apparently a pessimistic self-hating Asian as well. "
You are retarded. You don't know anything about me. Where did you form that ridiculous notion? Are you always this retarded?????
Everytime an Asian guy dismisses something of another Asian person, that makes him a self-hating Asian??????
Damn, you seriously have one f---d up head. Get yourself checked. You're an embarrassment to Asian society.
Fu Man
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 12:28:32 (PDT)
jing cha,
God your such a racist. That's like saying I've never seen a black person be good at gynastics or martial arts.
Compare the biggest black martial artist movie star, Wesley Snipes, to Jet Li and Jacky Chan. He's clumsy and two left footed in comparison. Not to mention his choreography sucks.
Hell a junior wushu team members perform better than Snipes on the movie screen.
Your logic is like trying to state Blacks dominate sports involving jumping and running. Because of generations of jumping fences and running away for white men. Stupid and racist. Stop promoting the sterotype of the DBG (Dumb Black Guy).
AC Dropout
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 12:24:42 (PDT)
jing cha,
"this guy is working for the prc and they are taking most of his earnings away. thats a goddamn shame"
This is empirical proof you are not a man with money.
PRC is asking for half his salary to subsidize the basketball program. Question: what is the taxation bracket for an individual making 2 million in the USA? About 50%.
DBG (bumb black guy)
AC Dropout
Tuesday, August 20, 2002 at 11:22:20 (PDT)
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