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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.]
What I don't understand is why there are people out there resenting other people for just wanting to admire and root for Yao Ming. People who believe Asians looking up to other Asians is a practice in racism or anti-patriotism. There are so few Asians in sports today, that when there is one that pops up the interest in him is intense. Sports are celebrated in this culture; perhaps if there was more media coverage of who wins the national math competition or who are the top CEO of computer software companies or who are the best computer programmers, we'd see more Asians. But the media doesn't care about those things they only care about sports. And if sports are going to be important in the media, Asians are going to feel little bit left out. So it's important to watch, look up to, admire and idolize these few elite Asian athletes when they arrive, because there's not going to be a lot of them. Also, when I see America celebrating the likes of Nomo, Ichiro and Ming, I feel that America is celebrating me, an Asian as well.
b12
b12
Wednesday, January 01, 2003 at 09:03:43 (PST)
[152.163.189.134]
Counterpuncher, ano shipal.
I am Korean, a Korean-American born here. I support any Asian athletes that make it. I'm not a racist against Chinese like you.
"Chinese hype"? The only hype is coming from the American media, genius. Watch the news sometimes, you might learn something.
"Yao Ming will change the history of the NBA" -Bill Walton
"He's a gift from God" -Allen Iverson
"He's got everything. He has no real weakness. Don't be surprised if the Rockets come out of the West as conference champions" -Isaiah Thomas
"Yao Ming, Houston: Starting to look more like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar than Rik Smits." -USA Today
"In two years he'll be bigger than Michael ever was, worldwide, and bigger than Tiger. I think he's going to be the No. 1 icon in the world." -NYTimes
"At his size, he is the best player I have ever seen and I believe that he will leave a lasting mark on the NBA." -Rick Barry
"He's definitely going to be one of the top players in the league." -David Robinson
"Yao is the real thing. He can be a scary player." -Dirk Nowitzki
So according to you Counterpuncher, all these people are CHINESE?
kimchi
Friday, December 27, 2002 at 10:14:13 (PST)
[172.130.0.30]
Yao is and will be a big-time force. But I think he should get the quiet life he desires.
In an interview, Yao says that he wanted to be treated like any other player. He is a very humble person and all he cares about is playing ball. He doesn't care about how popular he gets.
The American media is the one to blame for him getting so popular. That's why he's gotten so many All-Star votes. That time he scored 30 points against the Mavericks, they actually talked about it on my local news, and I live in New York City! The sportscaster said "Yao is WOW! He scored 30 points and had 16 rebounds..."
They never talk about other teams (only NewYork teams) on the sports. But because it was a 7-5 Chinese rookie who scored 30, they talked about it.
nyasian
Friday, December 27, 2002 at 09:38:26 (PST)
[172.130.0.30]
counter puncher,
can you please tell me why you are such a smug obnoxious person?..i don't get it..
can u count?
Thursday, December 26, 2002 at 18:20:56 (PST)
[195.92.168.170]
Some of you Chineesse are too funny!
Again Mr. Counter Puncher can't type another argument without mentioning the Chinese. LOL you really are infatuated with them hahaha.
So anyone who doesn't think Yao is an all star caliber player is a "hater?"
Nope, just the little Korean troll on the board that constantly cause controversy due to his love for the chinese people hahahaha.
Whatever happened to democracy among
you Chineesse?
Speaking of democracy among CHinese, overseas Chinese are the wealthiest diaspora in the world. Netting an annual income of 1.5 trillion a year, even more than the Jews. BTW speaking of democracy, how's Kim Jong and his nukes?
Difference of opinion?
It must be that commie brainwashed mentality.
A Korean is calling a Chinese commie? LOL talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
Since the beginning I said I hoped Yao would proved me wrong and does well ( go back few months and re read)and he has. BUT he's no all star.
Actually no, I remember you starting a thread about him being Chinese hype and he sucks. Eating your words now huh?
Scrub try settling on a tag name instead of pretending to be Corean.
This seems like a common method used by brillant Chinese scrubs.
HUH? Are you hearing things? I don't remember anyone on this board pretending to be Korean. LOL I must say those paint chips you've been sniffing have been causing an unbelievable rise in your delusions.
Geeez...I don't remember saying Yao is far better than any other rookie. Failed your ESL classes? Fall in the "tolit?" I think you did fail your ESL classes.
Please don't insult the ESL people. ESL people would not fantasize about others pretending to be Korean. THerefore you are below someone in ESL.
Coreans dispite their MUCH smaller numbers had more professional representation than the Chineese
we could of had a Corean TEN YEARS BEFORE any Chinese, North Corean commies would let the boy play in the NBA.
Yes "IT must be that brainwashed commie mentality then". Like tasting your own medicine?
Coreans had representation in the NFL, NHL, MLB so what's there to be jealous of the Chinessse?
Your jealous because even though Koreans have a larger representation in the world of American sports, none of them have made as big of an impact as Yao has. Show me a Korean athlete nowadays that is a bigger commodity than Yao. BTW, more Chinese people are interested in basketball than any other sports.
I don't recall any Chinesse who has a World Series ring or a Stanley Cup rings?
Kinda hard to win the Stanley Cup or World Series when there are no Chinese playing.
If I was such a racist why don't I trash Ichiro?
Just because you don't trash everyone doesn't make you any less of a racist. If I said I hated all spics, but I'm cool with negroes would that make me any less of a racist? LOL and you have the nerve to make fun of ESL people when you fail to contemplate simple logic like that.
Traditionally the Coreans dislike the Japanese.
As well as every other Asian.
Ichiro is a true all star.
LOL you really think people we're that clueless? Quit hiding behind Ichiro. You're complimenting him is nothing more than an excuse to bag on Chinese.
I don't buy into all the Chineesse hype.
That's fine, atleast they have something to hype about.
I guess if I was a Chinese with only Michael Chang (tennis, sports??)
HAHA tennis is not a sport now? You have the nerve to say Tennis is not a sport yet you like baseball? Hate to break this to you but tennis is much more physically and athletically demanding than baseball. Lemme guess, golf is more of a sport to you because there is a Korean playing. Is this your new motto "Any sport with no Korean representation is not a sport?" HAHAHA what a joke. BTW if tennis is not a sport, than logically people who play it are not athletes. So by your skewed logic, Korean high schoolers who play tennis are not athletes. Good job of insulting your own HAHAHAHAHA.
Steven
Thursday, December 26, 2002 at 14:36:47 (PST)
[152.163.189.134]
AC Dropout,
Yes, your very smart and knows your stuff. You should be a basketball instructor.
Malone is one of the 50 greatest basketball player and he is a vertan and so no surprise with what he can do. He lives with the game.
BasketBall Guru
Thursday, December 26, 2002 at 11:57:39 (PST)
[24.239.152.113]
Counter Puncher,
nah, I'm not chinese. I'm just a korean sell-out. Kinda like you are but differently if you know what I mean. BTW, I never heard of any famous Korean athlete, can you bring some up? Ok you said some korean in MLB, NFL, & NHL so why no one ever heard of them. Is like they don't exist. I tell you, there isn't any famous one that is really truly known by everyone. And thanks for tell me that I have ESL class, cause I do and it's all because of the Korean government. They never provided any resource for a descent english class in my country. So I had to be here to learn english, and I trying really hard right now, sorry...
Kimchi
Thursday, December 26, 2002 at 11:47:17 (PST)
[24.239.152.113]
"He's the second-best center in the league already, all things considered...Offensively, he's got a lot of skill, and once he gets the ball down low, it's over. He already changes the way you have to play."
- Flip Saunders, Timberwolves Coach
Despite Yao's subpar performance (subpar by Yao standards) and a Rocket's loss, undeniable facts stand out like sore thumbs. All sources are hollaring "give Yao the ball". None-the-less, pea brained buffoons in the order of teammates continue to hurl up hail-mary's early, late, throughout the entire game. But Yao doesn't complain. He still dominates despite the inane nature of his team.
"Like the Christmas toy every kid wants, Yao Ming is the center of choice right now among fans, media, coaches and players alike.
Yao is the future. Shaq is the past. Yao is The Man of the Hour. Shaq is yesterday’s news...
Shaq should realize that he isn’t the best anymore. He has to prove himself all over again. And he’s failing.
Call him The Big Irrelevant."
-Michael Ventre http://www.msnbc.com/news/851169.asp?0cv=SA00
Yao better than Shaq? Shaq versus Sac-town was as ugly as you can get. Brick, brick, brick. Shaq is too short, fat, and cocky to take his team anywhere nowadays.
You don't need a pride pumped China man to tell you Yao is the man anymore. I guess it wasn't nationalistic zealotry but insight that led many to proclaim the same prior to his current success. He was the first overall pick, we had seen the video clips, abbreviated scouting reports, even full-length games at Shanghai. A list of exploits and characteristics; the work ethic, the confuscius influences, the remarkable athleticism, the proportion, the skill, the knack for improving dramatically each successive season in the CBA, the slamming of alley-oops on fast-breaks, tall parents who also played ball, the strong legs. He was destined for something great.
chinatown
Thursday, December 26, 2002 at 10:45:47 (PST)
[67.98.161.69]
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