Yao Ming: The Next Asian Superstar? | Asian American Issues

Yao Ming: The Next Asian Superstar?
(Updated )

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?

     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? "if you heard impressions about the high-accented indian or muslim guy, a bunch of you would be laughing your asses off."

How the hell do you know how I would react in certain situations? You don't know me. I, personally, took up the charge at my college to stop anti-muslim/Arab banter that arose shortly after Sept 11.

"i saw that interview, and i didn't think it was way overboard where i have to hate him. I jokingly speak red-neck langauge to my white friends all the time and ebonics to my black friends. it's all good."

You know, how about you react to certain situations the way YOU want to and I'll react my way. Quit telling me how to deal with issues. Your view is just like Michelle Malkin; "I can get over so why can't you?" It's an extra plus when an non-Asian person tells Asians that we're overreacting.
Slab
   Friday, September 13, 2002 at 06:38:40 (PDT)    [162.66.50.1]

Next time when Yao is asked about his opinion on Shaq, he should try to speak some ebonics.
FOP
Friday, September 13, 2002 at 03:52:54 (PDT) [199.182.24.230]

AC,
I doubt Shaquille is ignorant, but those who are lash out in whatever way they can when they're turf is threatened.
huu76
Thursday, September 12, 2002 at 20:34:24 (PDT) [64.231.98.171]

I think any Asian that can go this far, should be praised upon. We as Asian can do anything we set our minds to. As long as we have hope, there will be more talented athletes Asian men will be produced. The reason we are sooooo behind in sport is because all the damned years of criticism we put upon on ourselves. Hey Dat Nyguen made it big. Us Asian body's are adjusting to the diet here in the U.S. We getting taller and stronger. Just wait.
Taz
Thursday, September 12, 2002 at 16:54:41 (PDT) [204.189.120.252]

You people need to stop b

OK, so just because a person is stupid, he/she should be absolved of any wrongdoing or mistake?? If these little things are not nipped in the bud, they can grow to become bigger problems. I don't believe the law differentiates between a dumb person and a smart person. If a gang member shoots someone, I don't believe the law will acquit him on the basis that he is stupid. I did cut Shaq slack when I said he probably did not mean to offend, but he did. I took into consideration he is not a real bright guy. Shaq just needs to apologize and say he did not mean to offend. That's all. I don't think most AA groups will call on the Lakers to release the guy. If Shaq does apologize on record, it shows that those types of comments are not acceptable. I don't believe John Rocker or Jason Williams are really bright people, but they did apologize for their offensive comments.

You're probably one of those people who thought that AAs went overboard with the A&F incident. And your assumption that we would laugh if he made an imitation of Indians or a muslim guy is wrong. I would think the same thing...that Shaq made a totally inappropriate comment. Anyways, go back to studying for your remedial reading class.
LAKA
Thursday, September 12, 2002 at 09:54:49 (PDT) [63.206.24.50]

So shaq made some politically incorrect comment or joke about ming. But what did you really expect from a guy who only scored 570 on his first attempt on SATs? He didn't know better. If Jesse Jackson or Colin Powell made similar remarks, then it would be totally different. Why be so surprisingly offended like you couldn't believe you heard it?? i don't think shaq meant to be malicious nor mean spirited in anyway. It was just his attmept at comedy that obviously offended a very sensitive group.

if you heard impressions about the high-accented indian or muslim guy, a bunch of you would be laughing your asses off. Some of you asians need to know how to distinguish what is real hatred and what is just harmless humor. i saw that interview, and i didn't think it was way overboard where i have to hate him. I jokingly speak red-neck langauge to my white friends all the time and ebonics to my black friends. it's all good.
You people need to stop being so sensitive.
Wednesday, September 11, 2002 at 09:22:00 (PDT) [66.107.44.253]

Bionic Ears,

Shaq is a very sensitive person himself. He or his people read the news all the time. I still remember one time when Yao said that "he someday would overcome Shaq." Now, I don't know what he meant by that either?

I don't know if Shaq is racist against Asians or just doing it as a joke, but his personal physician is a Chinese-American and he highly believes in Chinese accupuncture and herbs as an alternative to Western medication and treatment.
Let's hope he ain't another Jason Williams
Tuesday, September 10, 2002 at 20:03:25 (PDT) [64.130.235.33]

Yao Ming also shot 8-8 in the game against New Zealand. He was perfect from the field as well as the line!!!!!!! That's absurd (finishing with 27 pts.) Show me anyone in the WBC to do that, or at any major level of basketball competition for that matter.
chinatown
Tuesday, September 10, 2002 at 16:32:10 (PDT) [67.98.161.93]

Bionic Ears,

I saw something similar to that on ESPN. It was a lay back forum with one white host and a bunch of black player sitting in louge chairs. But it wasn't Shaq who tried to speak Chinese. It was a black interviewer, I believe he is/was a NBA player.

They cut to taping of the black interviewer and Shaq.

Interviewer "You heard of Yao Ming?"
Shaq "Who?"
Interviewer "Yao Ming?"
Shaq "......"
Interviewer "Well this is what he has to say about you .... [poor attempt as making noises]"

All the black people started laughing. But the white host was definitely uncomfortable and cut to a commerical break. I felt it was really tasteless and uncalled for. I'm ready to file for a class action suit if someone remembers the show.
AC Dropout
Tuesday, September 10, 2002 at 10:37:49 (PDT) [24.90.98.143]

Bionic ears,

I heard the same thing. As a Korean-American in LA and being a Lakers fan, I was totally disgusted by it. Sports anchor Rob Fukuzaki of the LA ABC affiliate reported that interview and he also gave a strange look upon hearing it.

Is there anything being done with this?? I'm sure Shaq didn't mean to offend, but he did...and I hope something can be done. LA only has the largest AA population in the US and there are a ton of Chinese as well as other AAs who didn't appreciate his stupid attempt at humor. At least Jim Rhome went on a tirade when a caller pulled a similiar stunt.

Shaq should have known better considering he lives in LA. We can't let people get away with this kind of crap!!
LAKA
Tuesday, September 10, 2002 at 10:10:31 (PDT) [63.206.24.50]

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