The Big Guy: Yao Ming

By Rosalie Leung

Yao Ming, the newest player to enter the court of NBA’s Houston Rockets, has only been around for about a year, but already, he is causing quite a commotion. The increase in wins for Houston this season, including the recent win against the Denver Nuggets, (with Yao scoring 16 of the 89 points), coupled with Yao’s boyish charm and serious skill, has not only made basketball the sport to play, but Yao, the man to watch.

Over the season, Yao has become increasingly popular, both in the U.S. and overseas. Especially for those living in Shanghai, the 7’6” tall former Shanghai Sharks pro basketball player is one of the most admired and famous people in China.
When he became the second basketball player in Chinese history, after Wang Zhizhi, to ever enter the league, Yao became an instant super star. He also became a role model to many, from young children playing street ball to Chinese basketball players his own age, still trying to get into the most exclusive league in the world.

“He’s so awesome as a player and a person. He makes me proud to be Chinese,” says 12 year-old Cheng Kanzhang.

Most fans say his court skills are what make him popular, but many also say that his gentle character and humble attitude are also what make him such a likable guy. The fact that Yao doesn’t care about the media, just about the game, also helps fans to identify with him. Compare Yao with American basketball players, most of whom are caught up in the show biz side of professional sports and out-of-reach to fans.

Some, like Ric Brucher of ESPN magazine feel that Yao may be the fresh face that changes the tired look of the NBA. “He is the answer to everything critics find wrong with the league today. He’s accommodating to fans and media alike. He doesn’t give any more importance to himself or the game than they deserve. He isn’t letting his fame distract him from the task at hand.”

Still, even with the wins and encouraging remarks from fans, things have not been easy for Yao. Many of the players have become threatened by his popularity. Charles Barkley said he would kiss Kenny Smith’s ass if Yao even scored 19 points in a game. Shaquille O’Neal used a mock Chinese accent to refer to Yao in an interview.

Yao however, has managed to rise above the negativity. Two weeks after Barkley’s comment, Yao scored 20 points. Two games after that, he scored 30 points. Yao also beat Shaq in the All-Star Game poll and was voted to start in the game.

Yao has also managed to take the criticism lightly. In response to Shaq’s mocking, Yao calmly replied, “I believe Shaquille O’Neal was joking with what he said, but a lot of Asian people don’t understand this kind of joke.” To prove that there were no hard feelings Yao even invited Shaq to dinner. His invitation however, was denied. When asked why, with a smirk on his face, Yao replied, “I don’t think our refrigerator is big enough.”

Overall, Yao’s entrance into the NBA has been a slam dunk experience. Although he has had to work harder than ever, he has also had big payoffs, in the form of both game points and advertising endorsements. Along with an endorsement deal with Nike that lingers from his days as a Shanghai Shark, Yao also represents Apple Computers and the Visa Company. Many have seen him in the Apple Computers commercial with Mini Me from the Austin Powers movies. In the commercial, Mini Me has the new, smaller version of the Mac laptop while Yao has the new, oversized laptop. Many have also seen him in the Visa commercial. He tries to purchase something with a check and mistakenly thinks that cashier mispronounced his name even though she was actually saying “Yo” and referring to the “no checks” sign. When he begins to correct her, it leads to a hilarious dialogue of “Yo”s and “Yao”s.

Although Yao Ming is still far from becoming the next Michael Jordan, he is definitely making his way to become one of the all-time hoop greats. This year was just a taste of the great things to expect from Yao. Next year, we are sure to see him bigger and better than ever.