Yao Ming

[edabomb]

He is not the player everybody thinks he is IMO. He is a more co-ordinated version of Bradley and Muresan, but like them will never be able to lead a team to a championship because he lacks the creativity all great centers have. It's not enough to be a big body now the positions have been revolutionised. I think the Rockets also stuffed up by getting rid of Franchise, hes is a far more team oriented player than T-Mac if you're going to base your play around the man in the middle. I bet the Rockets really regret taking Yao over Amare now, and all those people on the Slam forums look like idiots who said Yao had way more potential than Amare.

 

[Choppies]

agreed

I think he will only be in the NBA for a couple more years

 

[Jae]

Well considering Amare was drafted at #9 that year, I'd imagine there's a few more teams who regret not picking him. Looking back, that whole draft was weak.

 

[edabomb]

Tayshaun Prince at 23 and Amare at 9 were steals, but the rest have turned out very average. I think Yao will have a long NBA career, but will be on the end of benches in several seasons times like most 7footers wind up. Didn't realise Amare slipped down to 9, probably the only side that doesn't regret drafting him is the Cavs because they might not of gotten the number 1 pick and LeBron in 2003.....

 

[Jae]

The draft with LeBron/Wade etc is one of the strongest in recent history IMO... but yeah, Yao Ming has really disappointed me. From his first televised pre-draft workout everyone thought he was going to be the next big thing... one idea I've read is letting him play more of a high post role, which would free up the middle for T-Mac and also give him room to take those jump shots he likes so much. Either way, until he gets a bit tougher he's not going to dominate the league as he probably should.

 

[attamarrap]

Well considering Amare was drafted at #9 that year, I'd imagine there's a few more teams who regret not picking him. Looking back, that whole draft was weak.

Yeah I think alot of teams went off taking high school players that year because of the previous draft year with Kwame Brown being taken at no.1 and I think eddy curry or tyson chandler came out and played quite poorly also

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Yao needs to bulk up and be more domanite in the middle. A lot of other centres dont fare him

 

[Cee_em_bee]

Yao should be used in the same fashion Bill Walton was used, High post.. He has a magnificent passing touch, If he could be utilised properly, he would be alot more succesful.

He is a typical international centre, He is very good at steppijng out to 15-20 ft to hit open jump shots from penetration, He isn't the Low post, bruiser that Coach Van Gundy is trying to make him.

 

[Jae]

If Houston could get a pure banging defensive C it would be so easy to shift Yao to PF and let him take those outside jumpers. At the moment with the lineup they have, making Yao go out onto the high post and shoot opens up the middle too much for the opposing team, in the sense that Houston will never challenge for another offensive rebound again. Howard and Taylor aren't exactly going to take on the job of crashing the boards, both want to take the outside jumpers Yao should be taking. It's all about tailoring the team to suit Yao's game, not about Yao changing his game to suit Van Gundy's vision... the guy's like a stick figure, he's a bit of a wuss and the only time he's ever shown any real fire and desire was when he pushed over that New Zealander in the Olympics. Shit, everyone's pushed over a Kiwi Olympian at one stage in their lives it's no big deal... instead of trying to become a skinny Asian Shaq he should be focusing on improving the already considerable shooting, passing and to a lesser extent ball handling skills he does have and become a force that way.

 

[Mr Saab]

yao is another rik smits. Solid player nothing more.
Yao will play about 10 yrs in the NBA

 

[CanadianSteve]

Rik Smits is a good comparison. Smits was a very good player but hampered by foot injuries his last few years. Yao is much better than Shawn Bradley or Muresan ever were, and may yet develop into a more dominant player than he is now.

 

[Jae]

Bradley and Mursean made it to the league pretty much due to their size, defense and rebounding... admittedly the only thing they have shown/did show any promise in was size. Yao has alot more going for him, he just lacks the right kind of team to play for and alot of heart.

 

[edabomb]

Mursean had a couple of very solid seasons, just couldn't sustain it. I'd take Smits over Yao anyday if not for Smits feet.

 

[Jae]

I wouldn't call them "very" solid seasons, but he was a useful player sometimes admittedly. Definitely not like the Euro-freaks that get drafted and engrave their names on the end of the bench.,

 

[Mr Saab]

Mursean had a couple of very solid seasons, just couldn't sustain it. I'd take Smits over Yao anyday if not for Smits feet.

mursean won most improved player award. 95% of players that have won that award have gone down hill BIG TIME in the next few seasons.
Its a curse.

 

[edabomb]

14.5ppg on 58% shooting, 9.6rpg, 2.26bpg in 29.6minutes in 1995/96. Pretty solid if you ask me. Another couple of seasons of 10 and 6.5. Wouldn't of minded him at Seattle for a few seasons in the mid 90s.

 

[CanadianSteve]

I'd take Smits over Yao anyday if not for Smits feet.

Smits in his prime, when healthy, was a polished player who would be ahead of where Yao is now. But I still think Yao has the potential to get to at least that level in a few years. He's 24, but only in his 3rd NBA season.

 

[Jae]

14.5ppg on 58% shooting, 9.6rpg, 2.26bpg in 29.6minutes in 1995/96. Pretty solid if you ask me. Another couple of seasons of 10 and 6.5. Wouldn't of minded him at Seattle for a few seasons in the mid 90s.

Wouldn't of minded someone who could maintain some half decent form for more than 3 seasons...

 

[edabomb]

All Seattle needed was a decent center around those times and they would of won a championship. Sucks that the Payton/Kemp combo never made it.

In hindsight I agree Yao should have a long NBA career, I don't think hes leading Houston to a championship in that time though.

 

[Mr Saab]

you had jim mcilvane at the time...35 mill over 5 yrs i think :lol:
Kemp was over the moon at that contract signing...not!
damn that was a bust and 3/4.
Danny Ferry was better than Jim