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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.]
If the Korean basketball players are so good, how come they are not in the NBA like Yao Ming hmmm, hmmm? Anyway what's the point of comparing countries? They all have their strength and weakness. So long as we all get along and not get into a war. Besides this is not about China or Korea, but the one and only Yao Ming.
Anyway I like Yao Ming. He has got a great personality. I thought he would look like a freak being so tall, but he is actually quite cute. I like the way he moves around the court, and it's funny to see all the other American players all looking up at him lol. He does have to build up a lot on his upper body though before he can take on players like Shaq I would think.
Go Yao Ming!
Wednesday, October 30, 2002 at 04:38:43 (PST)
[203.103.159.67]
I talked with someone from Houston who went to a Rockets' preseason game. Yao is definitely tall, but skinny. He especially needs to bulk up his upper body and play more aggresively.
I think Yao will do average this season, then increase substantially next season.
He also got a close view of Steve Francis, the point guard of the Rockets. The NBA roster lists him as 6'3", but my friend who saw him close says Steve is only 6'0". NBA players sure do exaggerate their height.
B. Lee
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 at 20:54:18 (PST)
[207.172.11.148]
Counter Puncher, you are a joke!!!
I think, you're the REAL joke! One delusional opium smoking crackhead.
Get a grip of reality!
Let's see: taekwondo, wrestling, judo, archery...... You call these popular sports? How many people play these sports on a daily basis? Very, very few.
I swear,you Chinese guys really do have a reading comprehension problem. Go back to your ESL (English as Secondary classes). Please point out where I have stated these sports as "popular?"
All martial arts are very demanding and physical unlike diving or ping pong where the Chinese excel at.
Basketball, swimming, weightlifting, shooting (huge sport in the U.S.).....These are much more popular sports in the world, in which people play daily. China kicked the crap out of Korea in these sports.
Swimming? Weightlifting? Popular in US?
Tell me another lie.
Basketball, who won? LOSER!
I grant you: Korea is better than China in soccer right now. But in the future, China will win that as well. As for how good Korea is now, well, they lost, at home, to Iran!!! Ha!!!!
Big deal,we lost in a penalty shootout. Its all luck. Besides its only the Asian games, teams are mostly made up of under 23 olds. How many times have the Coreans won this? And also under 20?
Corea historically dominate soccer in Asia. It ain't the World Cup so who cares?
If the Chinese EVER again qualify for the next World Cup, try at least
to score a friggin' goal, ok? Just one goal. How embarrassing.
Corea destroyed China in baseball.
Corean boxers salivate when they see a Chinese opponent in boxing. I already corrected another delusional Chinese who claimed Chinese are among the best at wrestling when its the Coreans who excel in wrestling. Best in asia in rugby too.
You suck!
Realist, you SUCK 1.3 BILLION times over.
Truth,
I'm telling you, Realist is smokin' some funny shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.....
Counter Puncher
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 at 20:33:58 (PST)
[152.163.189.134]
The Truth and Real Realist, I gotta tell you, you guys are pathetic. You guys are so jealous.
Obviously, we have some differences over the future of Chinese sports. But the great thing about sports is that the actual results will speak for themselves. You guys better enjoy the gold medals that Korea is winning now, cause in the future, they are not going to win a lot. China is on a huge upswing right now, and you know what? There is nothing you can do about it!!!!! Ha! China will dominate.
I can't wait to see you in a few year's time. What will you have? Nothing.....
BTW, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Iran kick the crap out of Korea, in Seoul, with its World Cup veterans, in soccer. Iran did not even have its 2 best players!
So, stick to taekwondo, wrestling, judo, and archery......You call these popular sports? What a joke!!!!! Korea had home country advantage, and China still dominated the Asian Games. The trends in the world are moving against you!
Realist
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 at 17:51:24 (PST)
[210.0.188.194]
Curious,
Mengke Bateer is with the San Antonio Spurs, but is in the injured list. I don't know how long he will remain in the IL, but he is going to play in some games if an injury happens to David Robinson and if Robinson gets into foul trouble.
He is strong, which is why the Spurs signed him. They like his strength. And yes, he is a great wall. He's from the north, which means he and his ancestors are and were meat eaters, explaining how Northern Chinese got to be much bigger than Southern Chinese who are mostly grain and vegetable eaters. It is not a coincidence why many NBA scouts are in Nothern China, especially in secluded areas to find young big men who play the sport. These scouts are training 12-17 year old seven footers in certain northern provinces right now.
Along with others, one teenager is likely to play and maybe get drafted high in the NBA in 4 years if he develops as they claim. And yes, he may grow taller than Yao Ming at 7 foot 8- 10, but what is important is that they are starting them young.
Yao Ming won't be the last Chinese giant to play in the NBA. Mengke, Wang, and Yao are among the first. Height does attract attention, which is why those scouts are there in the first place and developing them young.
Mengke Fan
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 at 17:06:54 (PST)
[68.96.110.59]
the truth,
Did realist hit you in the nerve b/c you seem a little defensive. Hold your horses man, korea just got lucky in that game of basketball against china. They still have a long way to go. They worry more about feeding themselve then the olympics, right now.
man of word
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 at 10:00:17 (PST)
[162.83.151.239]
The REAL realist,
Are you sure your the real realist b/c I think some one just woke you up and hipmatize you to believing you were. Your a 100% joke.
Joker man
Tuesday, October 29, 2002 at 09:56:47 (PST)
[162.83.151.239]
Realist,
Oh yeah, swimming and shooting are real popular in the US. So popular nobody cares...
Anyways, Korea ended up spanking China in baseball. I believe baseball is more popular than either swimming or shooting.
Funny thing is... Korea BEAT China in basketball. And you guys are still hyping Chinese basketball. So much for the Chinese being so great in hoops.
Korea beat China in volleyball also.
Korea also completely outclassed China in boxing. And also in wrestling. And rugby.
I give credit to the Chinese men they are good in gymnastics, diving, table tennis, swimming, shooting, um... anybody see a trend here? All of the sports listed above are the men's results.
I agree with Counter-puncher. For a small country with a limited talent pool of only 45 million, Korea is very very formidale. Koreans do well in most team sports and sports requiring toughness and strong determination. Basically, Koreans are pound for pound the best athletes in east Asia.
Counter-puncher, no matter how much evidence we provide, the Chinese in this forum won't accept the truth.
And lastly, why would anyone have China-envy? A country of 1.2 billion people can't even outdo a small country like Korea in the most popular and physically demanding sports?? The only thing China supposedly has over Korea in real sports is basketball... and they LOST to Korea. All the Chinese keep talking about is "the future" and how China WILL be good. Talk about the present and the current results, not what you hope for in the future.
the truth
Monday, October 28, 2002 at 14:02:27 (PST)
[63.206.24.50]
To the ponderer who still calls himself the Realist,
Did I hit a particular nerve, or are you just always this emotionally destructive whenever someone intelligent points out your inadequate debating abilities? You argue like a child and wish to get into name-calling games when you've been exposed as a lame idiot with no basketball knowledge.
you wrote:
"You are probably someone who has a big inferiority complex to China. "
Inferiority complex? HAHAHAH!. Borrowing my words now? Oooooh shiii... You are pathetic!! I know I'm definitely leaving painful memories into your head when you're recycling the material that I have already used on you.
Or maybe your views of height advantages are just so distorted because you see your tall wang zhu zhu and tall yao ming getting literally used and abused by much smaller opponents.
Question: Can a 7'5" chinese man ever get a rebound over a 6'6" Canadian in a game? Yeah, guess so... but ONLY FIVE TIMES. hahahaha. That's how many rebounds he got in the game against Canada in the World Championships. as for that new clipper benchwarmer, wang may have gained a little bit of fat (he's far from muscular and tone), but he still plays like a useless and skinny cardboard. And wang can't guard a garbage can. Every slow guy in the league blows him by. All the stats that wang collects are fouls and turnovers and even bricks. you're probably oblivious to all of this because you're a pathetic wang fan who's too blind to see reality.
you wrote:
"In 5 year's time, China will probably have 5 to 10 players in the NBA."
If there are, they will all be 7 footers and play like wimps. It doesn't take much skill for a mysterious foreigner to get into the NBA if you're just tall. You don't need to know how to rebound. You don't need to know how to play aggressive D. And you don't need to be strong. You just need to be a tall ass at 7foot plus. If you don't believe that, go ask wang. Perfect example.
The REAL realist
Monday, October 28, 2002 at 12:49:51 (PST)
[66.107.44.253]
Does anyone know what happened to Menk Bateer? I liked him, he could be a very solid and strong center. How come nobody gives him a chance?
curious
Monday, October 28, 2002 at 12:35:07 (PST)
[64.243.142.2]
What is this?,
I think some people on this board measure an athlete's sucess based on wheatie boxes, basketball sneaker lines, and clothing line.
AC Dropout
Monday, October 28, 2002 at 09:12:38 (PST)
[24.90.98.143]
U sure about that?
On many recent articles, according to the Clippers Wang is now at his 270's. Last year, many sources stated that he was not 220 pounds but 250 pounds. I'm pretty sure that he weighed 220 pounds when he was drafted by the mavericks 1999, but not when he actually played a year later in 2000.
Two or three years ago, Ming weighed 255 pounds. Now he weighs 296 pounds. A year or two could make alot of difference.
Wang has been trying to improve his game and has been trying to get stronger maybe under the supervision of the Clippers or other nutritional coach for the last months.
Everyone,
We'll just have to wait on how Ming and the others develop.
To the person who claims to be this realist,
Stop making excuses. True that Ming does not score 40 points a game, but he does show alot of potential. What does a player have to have to satisfy you?
Does he have to score 100 points, block 90 shots, and have 100 assists in one game? Because the way you're talking smack, it most certainly sounds like it.
What is this?
Monday, October 28, 2002 at 06:51:56 (PST)
[68.96.110.59]
Wang Zhizhi is now on the L.A. Clippers. He is 7'1" and 275 pounds.
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/zhizhi_wang/index.html
B. Lee
Sunday, October 27, 2002 at 20:05:17 (PST)
[207.172.11.148]
Real Realist: you are just jealous. Plain and simple. Sad. You are probably someone who has a big inferiority complex to China.
In a couple year's time, China will be really strong in basketball. You and whoever you represent? You will just wallow in inferiority and be bitter for the rest of your lives.......
In 5 year's time, China will probably have 5 to 10 players in the NBA. It is inevitable that China will get better. And you know what? There is nothing you can do about that!
You suck! Ha!!!!
Realist
Sunday, October 27, 2002 at 17:35:34 (PST)
[210.0.188.194]
Counter Puncher, you are a joke!!!
Let's see: taekwondo, wrestling, judo, archery...... You call these popular sports? How many people play these sports on a daily basis? Very, very few.
Basketball, swimming, weightlifting, shooting (huge sport in the U.S.).....These are much more popular sports in the world, in which people play daily. China kicked the crap out of Korea in these sports.
I grant you: Korea is better than China in soccer right now. But in the future, China will win that as well. As for how good Korea is now, well, they lost, at home, to Iran!!! Ha!!!!
You suck!
Realist
Sunday, October 27, 2002 at 17:32:43 (PST)
[210.0.188.194]
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