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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.
Yao Ming
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?

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WHAT YOU SAY

[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
"You telling me Shaq's 27ppg and 10rpg is dwarfed by Yao's 13 and 8?"

People are not impressed by Yao's numbers per se. They are impressed by his skills and footwork and guard-like passing for a guy that's 7-5.
Consider also that Yao is on a team of ballhogs (Francis and Mobley).
While Yao averages less than 9 shots a game, Shaq averages around 18. Shaq also averages almost 11 free throw attempts a game.
The Laker's offense is built around Shaq. The Rockets' offense is built around Francis and Mobley.
Yao is the THIRD scoring option on the Rockets. For all his touches, Yao is doing his best.
Just look at David Robinson now. Now that he is no longer the scorer (Duncan is), Robinson is averaging 9 points and 9 rebounds.
Yao fan
   Monday, January 06, 2003 at 08:30:00 (PST)    [172.140.231.213]
Yao is ok; he's not great:

Those are some compelling arguments, but you leave out one critical fact.

YOU ARE COMPARING ATHLETES FROM DIFFERENT ERAS.

The protoptypical dominant center from the 1970-80s would have been about 7 feet, but only 230-245 pounds. Most centers these days are at least 15-20 heavier now. The training and conditioning that today's athletes recieve make them much better than yesterday's athletes.

Proof:

Wang Zhi Zhi is 7-1 and 275pounds, yet he is the middle of the pack. Imagine how the old-skool centers would have fared against today's centers.

Would have Wilt Chaimberlin average 50.4 points and 20+ rebounds like he did in the 1960-61 season had he played today? There is no chance in HELL. He will probably average about 20-25ppg and 10-15 rebounds. Impressive, but he would have been contained to a degree, relative to his production back then.

Ralph Sampson? Pfffft. He would have been pushed around like a rag doll by todays power players.

My point is that Yao is going up against much more formidable opposition than old centers, at least in terms of physicality. Today's NBA is much more physical than the NBA of even the 1990s. Just as Yao is being controlled to a degree by 6-11, 265 pound centers, old centers would have been less effective today.
U can't compare eras
   Sunday, January 05, 2003 at 23:38:29 (PST)    [172.168.170.243]
The All-star voting is just a popularity contest. That's why guys like VC, who barely played this year, is getting voted in. Same thing at the center spot at the West. You telling me Shaq's 27ppg and 10rpg is dwarfed by Yao's 13 and 8? How many championships does Yao have? zero. nada. zilch. He has yet to prove himself in the playoff environment. So far, all this media propoganda have blown up into people's heads. Yao was picked #1, and his numbers of 13 and 8 are hardly impressive for a top pick. When David Robinson was a rookie, he was averaging 24 points a game. And it's not just him. Go through the past and learn some NBA history. All the great centers have averaged at leas 20 nd 10 in their rookie years. Shaq, Alonzo, Tim Duncan, Hakeem, even Ralph Sampson. Yao doesn't suck, but he's NOWHERE close to any of the great centers mentioned above. It's just that the league right now is incredibly weak at the center spot. Yao's 13 and 8 is really not that impressive because he's only guarding the likes of Brad Miller or Shawn Bradley every night. Send Yao 5-10 years back when the league was filled with powerful centers, and Yao would not even average more than 8points a game. So am I hard on the guy? No, just realistic, unlike a lot of mindless sheep. When Yao averages 30ppg and 15rpg in this league of missing centers, then i'll join uin. Until in, I don't know why all the people care so much for the meaningless hype. Can't be satisfied with mediocrity. If you are, then it just doesn't take much to impress you.
Yao is ok; he's not great

* Couldn't of said it better myself!
If Yao garners most votes for the all star game he should show some class and let Shaq start. I said before is 13 pts 6 rebounds an all star numbers?? NOT!
Imagine all the positive press he would get for that. All star voting is nothing but a popularity contest. I think there are alot of anti Shaq voters voting for Yao. I not a fan of Shaq either but reality is Shaq is waaayyy better than Yao.
Counter Puncher
   Sunday, January 05, 2003 at 19:05:14 (PST)    [152.163.189.134]
yo yao is ok but not great you dont know nothing

yao ming plays with ball hogs like steve francis and cuttino mobley so he's not gonna get 24 points every night with only 8 shots a game...put him on a team like the knicks and he will get u 30 and 15 a night
phil the thrill
   Sunday, January 05, 2003 at 17:58:25 (PST)    [205.188.209.43]
In some of the worst predictions since the press picked Dewey to defeat Truman on the night of the 1936 US Presidential elections, we should hold some so-called "experts" accountable for what they said about Yao during the time Yao-believers knew he was the real deal.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "...Inside of three or four years, (Yao will) probably be history."

"It also brings to mind an interesting question: How do you say LaRue Martin in Chinese?"

"A master of almost no facet of the game, Yao makes Martin look like another historic basketball figure, Wilt Chamberlain. Manute Bol has a better chance of playing hockey than Yao does of having an All-Star career..."

- Randy Brickley, Arizona Republic (randy.brickley@arizonarepublic.com), 11/15/02

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Yao Ming makes Shawn Bradley look like Bill Russell."

- Charles Barkley on TNT, 11/14/02

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"They call Yao Ming 'The Next Big Thing,' but he looks like the 'Next Big Stiff' ... The Chinese government may want to go to war after Shaquille O'Neal puts a hole in Yao's chest. He'll have an average NBA career."

- Ron Higgins, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 11/10/02

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"The Rockets gambled on Yao Ming in the draft and so far it's looking like they crapped out."

- New York Daily News, 11/10/02

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Great Wall of China is among the Seven Wonders of the World. Yao Ming becoming an All-Star caliber NBA center would merit consideration as the eighth. I'm glad I wasn't a scout who recommended that the Houston Rockets select the 7-foot-5 Chinese center No. 1 overall in the 2002 NBA draft."

- Bob Matthews, Rochester Democrat and Herald, 11/10/02
YaoMingManiac
   Sunday, January 05, 2003 at 14:29:28 (PST)    [172.194.55.236]
Yao is ok; he's not great,

I'm surprise that there aren't many of the likes of you critics out there. Otherwise, Yao would have no votes at all. He probably wouldn't be on the ballot.

-------All the great centers have averaged at leas 20 nd 10 in their rookie years. Shaq, Alonzo, Tim Duncan, Hakeem, even Ralph Sampson. Yao doesn't suck, but he's NOWHERE close to any of the great centers mentioned above.----------

Don't forget, none of the center you mention above have to adjust to the NBA's way of play, language, and culture the likes of Yao. Remember, also when Shaq came in he beat out Patrick Ewing, reason why? He is popular. Grant Hill lead in votes of his rookie years and reason why? Again, he's popular, not that he is better than all the players.

---------Send Yao 5-10 years back when the league was filled with powerful centers, and Yao would not even average more than 8points a game. -----

Well 5-10 years ago, the play was different. Now it's more competitor, now guys can double center unlike years back. Now they also clog the paint to reduces ball touch and movement of center for easy lay in. This is why center are less pivotal now then way back. It is also why center don't take much shot because they clog up the paint. It's a NEW-WAYS of play.

-----Until in, I don't know why all the people care so much for the meaningless hype.----

Yea, it surprise me too that he has so many votes and they aren't even asian people either. A lot of them are here. I guess a lot of people must have a lot of confident in him. I don't think the people who voted for him, think is hype.
lokiloki
   Sunday, January 05, 2003 at 09:45:36 (PST)    [24.239.152.113]
Solid evidence that Yao's All-Star votes are not all from China:

"There is, however, one other bit of a surprise awaiting O'Neal. While Yao no doubt received Internet support from China, NBA spokesman Tim Frank said Thursday that Yao was also leading in the "paper balloting" available in arenas and retail outlets in the United States." -Associated Press
The truth
   Saturday, January 04, 2003 at 15:17:23 (PST)    [172.165.62.214]
If there are people who think Yao is getting in by "Chinese votes", then they should check the facts.
The NBA All-Star balloting is as follows:

In the US, ballots are given out at all NBA arenas, and at some electronics and sporting goods stores. They are also available online at NBA.com. Nielsen reports that there are about 170,000,000 Internet users in the U.S.

In China, voting is only possible through NBA.com. Nielsen says that there are about 60,000,000 Internet users in China.

All the votes for Yao are coming from right here!
The truth
   Friday, January 03, 2003 at 15:54:32 (PST)    [172.175.226.31]
The All-star voting is just a popularity contest. That's why guys like VC, who barely played this year, is getting voted in. Same thing at the center spot at the West. You telling me Shaq's 27ppg and 10rpg is dwarfed by Yao's 13 and 8? How many championships does Yao have? zero. nada. zilch. He has yet to prove himself in the playoff environment. So far, all this media propoganda have blown up into people's heads. Yao was picked #1, and his numbers of 13 and 8 are hardly impressive for a top pick. When David Robinson was a rookie, he was averaging 24 points a game. And it's not just him. Go through the past and learn some NBA history. All the great centers have averaged at leas 20 nd 10 in their rookie years. Shaq, Alonzo, Tim Duncan, Hakeem, even Ralph Sampson. Yao doesn't suck, but he's NOWHERE close to any of the great centers mentioned above. It's just that the league right now is incredibly weak at the center spot. Yao's 13 and 8 is really not that impressive because he's only guarding the likes of Brad Miller or Shawn Bradley every night. Send Yao 5-10 years back when the league was filled with powerful centers, and Yao would not even average more than 8points a game. So am I hard on the guy? No, just realistic, unlike a lot of mindless sheep. When Yao averages 30ppg and 15rpg in this league of missing centers, then i'll join uin. Until in, I don't know why all the people care so much for the meaningless hype. Can't be satisfied with mediocrity. If you are, then it just doesn't take much to impress you.
Yao is ok; he's not great
   Friday, January 03, 2003 at 13:30:10 (PST)    [63.161.167.211]
All you people need to jump off the Yao bandwagon and stop sniffing his jock. The boy's got game. That's for sure, but don't go annointing him the future of the NBA just yet. True, the league is changing and his style of play is more befitting of the evolution of the big man, since Shaq is probably the last of a dying breed of true low post-men.

Yao has made some great progress considering he had zero training camp time and had to learn the Houston offense/American style of play on the fly. I think for his game to improve he needs to be able to stay in the States during the offseason and develop his skills with real pros, not to mention showing up for training camp. The Chinese national team is no comparison to training in say the Pete Newell Big Man league or the Houston summer league team. Ultimately, what may hold Yao back is his stupid government not letting him spread his wings and fulfill his potential.

Yao has great promise and could be great someday. Operative words being "could be." There are lots of players that could have been great and people will always jump on the next bandwagon and proclaim some high schooler or international player to be the next great player. But greatness is achieved through years of excellence and most notably, through championships, not through stupid popularity contests like the All-Star balloting.

It's unfortunate for young up and comers like Yao and LeBron James to have all these unrealistic expectations thrust upon them. But unfair or not, they need to play a lot of great ball first before they convince this basketball fan that they deserve to stand next to the all-time greats.
Valley Chinese Dude
   Thursday, January 02, 2003 at 23:34:02 (PST)    [67.25.248.29]
b12:

I think your post was worse than Counterpuncher's. It is the typical, hopefully soon outdated, Asian-defeatist attitude, i.e. "we are smart, but physically inept, so lets accept it and make the best of it"...your phrase "there won't be many of them" highlights your belief.

With the relatively sudden proliferation of Asian athletes, the hope and positive belief is that there WILL be many more and that Asians CAN excel and DO have the athletic talent to succed as well as any other race, once the they themselves and others believe that they can.
John
   Thursday, January 02, 2003 at 19:59:57 (PST)    [66.214.175.114]
http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Yao_Francis_On_Pace_To_Start_-62786-34.html

WoOoOo HooOoOoo

Who said Yao Ming couldn't be an All Star starter in his rookie year? Well the big man is currently in 1st place leading 2nd placed Shaq by over 200,000 votes. Yeaaa babyyy yeaaaaah!!!

And to compliment that, he was named the Western Conference rookie of the month.

LIKELY WESTERN CONFERENCE ALL STARS
Yao Ming
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Steve Francis
Kobe Bryant

Now that's a lineup!!
UNLEASH YAO MING, baby!!!
   Thursday, January 02, 2003 at 17:43:13 (PST)    [202.27.176.157]
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]

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