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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
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Ming's US debut: he's okay. nothing to be impressive about. What's the fuss about? He has zero post up game. He hit his open shots, but none when he was being intensely guarded, and he blew an easy dunk, and he had 2 points in the 2nd half. He almost got dunked on.
Hardly mesmorizing numbers. Boy, did they overhype this guy!
PP
Friday, August 23, 2002 at 08:24:49 (PDT)
13 pts, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks against an all star team...ummm i wonder how he will do in the nba...he doesnt play players at this level every day...all you people out there who doubted him ... hahahahhaha feel so dumb now dont you...if hes good at this level already think of him in a few years with American training...hahahahha UNSTOPABLE......UNSTOPABLEEEEE...now watch these fools make excuses to take away yao mings credit..."he made those blocks in the final minutes of the game", "the american squad wasnt even that good"...did i mention the whole US squad was playing for real against yao in this game...man they wanted to kill him and he still put up decent numbers...cant wait till yao jersey comes out
Phil The Thrill
Friday, August 23, 2002 at 06:40:25 (PDT)
Do you want to know something funny?
Before the draft, you'd hear Tom Tolbolt, a former NBC NBA analyst talking who's currently with ESPN smack about Yao.
Now you hear him complimenting him.
He got to see Yao's talents first hand who blocked 4 shots with ease and got the shooting touch.
He later said," Shooting touch is something that can't be taught. Whether you have it or not. He has it."
Also on a radio broadcast, a broadcaster stated that the Legendary Michael Jorden who meet Yao three years earlier during a workout praised him saying," I knew that you were going to make it, boy."
Ben Wallace, a 6'8 center made some remarks about Yao.
"Who cares," Yao replied.
After the exhibition match, it was evident that the U.S. team was stunned, getting more than they bargained for. They started to respect him as a player.
Although Yao displayed his talents, things were not the same for his teammates except Bateer. His point guard did not really know how to handle the ball well, giving up turnovers many times. His forwards were rushing their shots, missing threes in the process.
The other thing that was evident was how strong Bateer is and how some of the U.S. national players backed away to Yao as if they were saying," Oh, my god! This guy is huge. Let me back away."
His individual potential is astonishing. That is why he got number one.
What really disappointed me was not seeing Wang Zhizhi play who probably got suspended a game from his actions.
I think it is clear that Wang will play for the Mavericks this year.
Ray
Friday, August 23, 2002 at 06:09:42 (PDT)
Go to Google and type in these exact words in the search box:
"Basketball North Korea Micheal Ri"
You should get a bunch or results, and even the CNN.cm article about this guy. There's pic of him and his family too.
I know... its hard to believe.
Friday, August 23, 2002 at 00:56:37 (PDT)
http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/0822/1421755.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2002/08/22/sports0005EDT0002.DTL
Went to the sold-out USA-China exhibition game. Yao Ming played decently, with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks. He showed good basketball intelligence and shooting touch. More importantly, he played like a true center defensively, altering shots, preventing dunks and forcing turn-overs inside. On offense, he hit a few turn-around jumpers and a slam dunk.
His weaknesses were also obvious, such as lack of upper-body strength, lateral mobility and physical conditioning. Still, a respectable performance against Dream Team lite. I know, no Shaq, Duncan, etc. But these guys are still better-than-average NBA players.
He is only 22, the age of most stay-in-school NCAA seniors. Give him a year or two, he will be a force to be reckoned with in the NBA.
steve wang
Friday, August 23, 2002 at 00:38:45 (PDT)
Yao ming is soooooooooooooo overrated. He has zero post up moves, and he barely stays alive in 3rd quarter. He blew a dunk and cat is 7 foot 5.
What disgrace. Only fans with no knowledge of the game would fall into the hype.
Not impressed with the hype
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 23:41:48 (PDT)
You naysayers should just shut up!!!!!
From the Houston Chronicle:
Yao impresses in first U.S. test
Rockets' draft pick shows flair
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle
OAKLAND, Calif. -- His fists were pumping as he turned toward the bench and shouted in delight. Yao Ming blocked shots and the adrenaline almost showed. He saw teammates score meaningless baskets and he roared happily.
Yao seemed to relish every moment, to cherish every second.
China trailed the United States by 40 at the time with 80 seconds left. It hardly mattered.
Yao had gotten his chance to face the United States and the best its young centers could throw at him. He showed just what the Rockets wanted. He belonged. He was a factor, and occasionally special. And he seemed to love it.
"Very impressive, very impressive," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said, fighting his urge to gush. "Those were great shots. And he showed his emotion for the game. He has a love for the game. Charles (Barkley) had it. Dream (Hakeem Olajuwon) had it. He has it."
...
Realist
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 23:04:43 (PDT)
I really think Asian men's image would dramatically change for the better if we have one or two Asian NBA all stars.
If Yao Ming can do a TV commercial for one of the shoe companies, you bet we (Asian males) will no longer be the laughing stock of others.
Basketball exudes a tough, thuggish image for young people nowadays.
throw it down
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 23:03:26 (PDT)
Fans adore Yao, though U.S. beats China by 30
Associated Press
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Yao Ming sold out the building, though it would be a stretch to say he brought down the house.
Yao had some good and bad moments Thursday night playing his first game in the United States, getting held to 13 points and 11 rebounds as the Chinese national team lost 84-54 to the U.S. team.
A crowd of 19,873, many of them cheering for China, watched Yao do a little of everything -- positive and negative. Yao swatted away six shots and denied Antonio Davis the honor of being the first American to dunk on him, but he also blew a dunk of his own and struggled when he was defended by Ben Wallace.
"When you have pitiful moments, that makes the good moments more valuable,'' Yao said.
Yao finished 5-for-12 from the field, and he was unafraid to push back when the Americans tried to push him outside. He missed his only 3-point shot and committed five turnovers, but he also showed a silky touch and an 18-foot range on his turnaround jumper.
"To play against him was an eye-opening experience for me. He's a lot better than what I thought,'' Michael Finley said. "He earned our respect.''
...
"Great Wall Trio" fan
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 23:00:42 (PDT)
MONROE: Not the Ming of all media
BY MIKE MONROE
FOXSports.com
Aug. 18, 2002 4:37 p.m.
DENVER — You can stop wondering if Yao Ming, the 7-foot-6 center from Shanghai whom the Rockets made the first pick in the NBA draft, can adapt to life in the NBA.
He already has.
How do we know this?
Because he's already grown weary of the U.S. sports media.
After dealing with about a dozen media types after Team Canada's 96-68 thumping of the Chinese national team in an exhibition game Friday in Vancouver, Yao on Sunday was moderately startled when two reporters and a lone still photographer showed up at Pepsi Center, where the Chinese team is practicing for a few days.
At the end of a relatively brief Q and A session — a grand total of 14 questions were asked — Yao was asked what he felt would be the hardest adjustment, from a personal standpoint, about playing in the NBA.
"Watching," he said through an interpreter, "that you guys don't chase me to my house."
Let the record show Yao was chuckling when he said it, so we think he was joking.
Truthfully, though, I think Yao's apparent discomfort at always being the center of attention, even before he has played a single NBA game, could be a bit of a drag on his development as a player.
Hey, when you're the first pick in the entire draft, not to mention the first Asian-born player to have such a distinction, you have to expect intense media scrutiny.
...
give the guy a chance for God's sake!
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 22:39:04 (PDT)
Who in the world is Michael Ri? Someone please inform me on this?
7'9? that is crazy...
M.Ri is a north korean basketball player he was listed as the tallest man in the world at one time also he was suppose play in the NBA but as north korea is still in a cold war with america he is not allow to play .
KD
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 20:39:52 (PDT)
Real Realist and You're not a realist one bit, you're the ones expressing your own opinion. I am CITING the opinion of Rudy T and the Rockets, and I would add 80% of NBA scouts including Bill Walton. You are the fools blabbing your own ignorant mouth. You are right, I have never played in the NBA, which is why I am relying on the experienced judgments of those who have. You and all the Yao naysayers? You'll are only citing yourselves. Besides, when Yao gets good, you naysayers will jump on the bandwagon like fair weather losers.....And I would also add, you losers are total traitors who are talking as if you are part of the KKK.......
Realist
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 18:22:23 (PDT)
Brian Kim , Fu man, Jared:
certainly, you do not have to be all out supporters of Asian imports,people, products, but at least take the good in with the bad. If Yao Ming was truly a 100% worthless player, then he certainly wouldn't be number 1, and not worth any praise. Of course, by responding to remarks that weren't directed towards you (kim, jared), you probably did not understand the perceived tone that instigated and called for my comment.
anyways...
Great remarks guys. It says alot about individuals who must revert to low-brow "name calling" when trying to respond. "Retarded"? Ten year olds use that word to insult one another...I expect a little more from 30 year olds such as yourselves. Narrow-minded? Perhaps because I acknowledge the fact that I do not have to hold pessimistic views on albeit my own people or not? I hardly think so, for my reasoning was derived from the realization that I can still be a supporter and not be narrow-minded. On the other hand, the incisive remarks used on Yao Ming hardly show any bit of reserved emotion, but rather, come across as simply unrestrained slander....
Admittedly, it's so much easier to be a supporter of your own kind, rather than a pessimist. And much more reasonable to be a supporter than to outright hate him while even "outsiders" offer litte less praise. Why make it difficult? Why exude bitter insults when the matter is appraised as positive? Even a neutral or a less scalding stance is better, but fu man (and particularly jing cha, who makes fu man look like a yao supporter [I'm almost tempted to withdraw my statements about you, after jing cha's post] ) couldn't even offer that much...
"...But when all is said and done, I'm betting there will be a far greater appreciation -- from American players and fans -- of the talent level of the Houston Rocket-to-be than we've gained from watching the various B-quality film clips of the 7-foot-5 center in action.
It would be no surprise to me if Yao, far and away the best player on the Chinese team, is the second-most productive center in the NBA next season as a rookie...
Yao made every shot and every free throw he took in an exhibition against the Canadians last week in Vancouver. He's blessed with good hands, good feet and good training.
In other words, we're not talking about Dikembe Mutombo here. This is a real athlete who just happens to be tall. Enjoy him."
-http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82%257E10835%257E810825,00.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2002/08/22/SP243139.DTL
Give the man some credit...or at least a fair chance before you knock him.
chinatown
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 18:07:39 (PDT)
AC dropout,
If a white guy disses on Shawn Bradley, then he is a self-hating white guy?? And if a black guy disses on Mike Tyson, he is a self-hating black guy too? And If a Chinese man disses on Michael Chang, he is a self-hating Asian????
And why are you picking on another Asian and calling him an adopted Korean. Do you know how pathetic you sound? You must be the biggest moron to ever be granted access to this country by the INS. You must be one of those angry asian kids that always got picked on by the ABC's or ABK's because your views are so ignorant. So why do you have such closeminded principles in life? It appears that you really have never dealt with anyone in modern society before. Was your dad a farmer in your little village before you came to America? We Asian Americans do not share your perception and hatred for the world.
Wow, some people are incredibly lame and ignorant
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 16:32:10 (PDT)
Michael Rhi or (Myong Ri) is a 7'9" North Korean basketball player and is the tallest person alive according to Guinness Book of World Records. He was a hot commodity a few years back when a number of teams were trying to sign him, most namely the Boston Celtics. He had been working out in Canada with the hope that he could eventually play in the NBA. The problem was that he is a North Korean and is not allowed to work in the US. He has been unsuccessful in his bid to play in the NBA due to this obstacle. He also is running out of time due to his age (28 or 29 now) and the NBA's interest has waned. With the recent thaw in in NK-US relations, there might still be a chance for him to play in the NBA someday.
LAKA
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 15:29:28 (PDT)
In an article posting earlier this year, Donn Nelson, Wang Zhizhi's coach for the Dallas Maverick's stated that his future in the NBA is bright with as many a talent. He later explained the reason behind Wang's limited time on the floor. He stated that the second year for a foreign player is actually his rookie year; the first year being the time span for adjustment in a different environment.
"I dream of becoming a starter and eventually lead the Mavericks to a championship," Wang said. From the article, it seemed as though the coach promised to give Wang more playing time and told him to be patient with him.
Ray
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 14:02:07 (PDT)
the pressure,
"it would suck if yao turned out to be asian sam bowie. that seems like where he's heading"
yao is worst than sam bowie. yao can't get position to get a rebound to save his life. he's going to disappoint a lot of delusional chinese folks who are dreaming.
yao's not even at bradley's level
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 12:26:46 (PDT)
ac dropout,
"That makes you whitewashed, you shep sheikie. You must be one of those unfortunated adopted koreans."
And you must live in the same ghettoground as chinatown. You two share similar thinking. Both of you are ashamed to be in America. Just because I don't give a sh!t about yao ming, it doesn't mean i'm anti asian. Your reasons are absolute garbage. I don't like imports, so i'm whitewashed? you are too funny. so i guess there are thousands of asian parents and adults that must be whitewashed too because they are more mature than your stupid ignorant ass. You are probably one of those stupid tards that blow all their allowance on your beat up 88 civics. Still blow you by in my stock beamer.
"Micheal Ri? What was his draft number in the NBA? "
If you ever have any knowledge about anything, you would know that the situation in korea forbids him to leave. But obviously you live in a small little world, and you're not really aware of too much about other asian issues. You and chinatown have too much in common.
Brian Kim
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 12:24:49 (PDT)
Michael Ri I believe is a Korean Basketball player.... He was featured in a small article in Sports Illustrated. Heard he's not half as good as Yao, but he does play ball...
How about the other tall guy (Mongolian I believe) who plays with the Harlem Globetrotter? He's skinny as heck but has some flair.....
sfprep
Thursday, August 22, 2002 at 11:03:37 (PDT)
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