Kareem Abdul Jabbar interested in coaching Yao

http://sports.sina.com.cn/k/2005-05-25/10011578203.shtml wrote:


<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">He had been a 6-times NBA champion and MVPs, and 19 All Stars appearances; as a player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been heaped with innumerable honours and glory. Now 16 years are gone, the one-and-only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is getting old. Here with his profound eyes and full mustache, Abdul-Jabbar sat on the black-leathered sofa 1 meter away from me, told me that he is to be 60 years old in 2 years' time.

Reporter: You once said the 1985 LA Lakers was the strongest team in the LA Lakers' history.

Abdul-Jabbar: All it takes in a good team is a good point guard and a good centre; that basically forms the foundation and framewrok for a championship team.

Reporter: So with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, the Houston Rockets has basically that (championship team) framework, right ?

Abdul-Jabbar: I am only talking about the framework; there are very many other factors to bring about a championship. I admit that with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady on the same team, that will be a threat to all the other teams. But the current Rockets has yet to meet the requirements of a championship team. The current Rockets personnel structure had not been optimized; they still lack a player like Steve Nash who can selflessly distribute the ball around, a co-ordinator in offense per se. On the basketball court, you need the combined force and effort of 5 players and not merely 1 or 2 star players. If the Rockets can get someone who can organize and co-ordinate offense, together with Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, then (I will say) they will not be too far away from a championship.

Reporter: You had been once the assistant coach for LA Clippers. Have you ever thought about becoming the head coach of a NBA team in the future ?

Abdul-Jabbar: I've thought about it. I think to be the head coach of a NBA team will be a challenge for me. But up till this moment, I have not received any invitation from any team. If one day, I can become the coach for Yao Ming, I would be glad to transfer all I knew to him. If they let me be Yao Ming's coach or trainer, I guarantee that I can transform him within a year's time.

Reporter: But (we remembered) you were Yao Ming's coach last year when you were asked to coach the Sophomore team in the All Stars.

Abdul-Jabbar: You're talking about the All Stars. Although I was his coach, the total time I had with Yao Ming did not exceed 5 minutes. At that time, my first impression about Yao Ming was: he was full of wisdom and extremely diligent; he was also very modest and humble and did not put on airs of a star player. All I had to do was to tell him what to do, and he would go and deliver.

Reporter: Being the most renowned centre in NBA, do you have any personal advice for Yao Ming ?

Abdul-Jabbar: Well, Yao Ming has been in NBA for the thrid season; his display on court had yet to become mature. It was so obvious that sometime at c!utch moments, he seemed lost and not know what he should do. IMHO, that will be the direction/areas he will need to further develop on. Actually, Yao Ming is a very smart guy. I firmly believe there are people around him that will give him such suggestions.

Reporter: How far away do you think is a NBA championship from Yao Ming ?

Abdul-Jabbar: If Yao Ming wants to continue to have good performance in NBA, the most important thing is that he has to adapt to the NBA environment. That is because playing in NBA is definitely entirely different from playing basketball in China.

If Yao Ming requires to put in 100% of his strength and effort for a championship here in China, then he will need to put in 200% in NBA to become champions. In NBA, regardless of physical or tactical, they all pose big challenges to Yao Ming.</div>

 

Kareem would appear to be an upgrade on Ewing, plus he's desperate to get a high-profile position in the league. Kind of strange that he hasn't been offered a coaching job yet, given all the nobodies who seem to get them nowadays (Chris Jent?).

I doubt we'd hire him while Ewing is still here, though.

 

If someone wants the job and is qualified, I don't see any reason why we shouldn't give it to him. The only problem standing in the way is Pat Ewing, who already is a coach to Yao. Ewing, though, has stated that he would like to be an assistant coach in New York if Herb Williams remains coach. If he does leave us to join Williams, then I could see us bringing Kareem on board.

 

Kareem would be awsome. Yao could use a deadly sky hook. But the only way I see Ewing leaving is for that Knick job. If he doesnt go for the job I dont think the Rockets will release him.

A while back I remember reading that Assistant Coach Tibiddou (dont know how its spelled) was looking for a job as Head Coach. If this is true and he leaves that'll open up a sport for Kareem to come in without losing Ewing.

 

Kareem will be a better coach for Yao than Ewing because Yao's style of play i think resembles more of Kareem's play than Ewing's. If we can hire him as Yao's coach, i expect to see an at least 20 / 9 performance by Yao next season.
In the article, kareem also mentioned about the need of PG who can distribute the ball.. shows exactly why we need an additional PG..

 

I think we should get rid of Ewing and bring in Kareem. The only person that would stop it from happening is Van Gundy. You know he only hires former Knicks. Seriously, I truly believe that Kareem would be able to relate to Yao better, being that they're games are similar. Just imagine Yao getting a reliable jump hook, that would mean he wouldn't have to waste so much energy banging in the paint

 

I agree with what everybody said here. I think Kareem coming to teach Yao would be beneficial for everybody: Kareem, Yao, and the Rockets organization. The only person that would get the short end of the stick would be Ewing, but, who really cares anyways. I hope Ewing does pursue a different career somewhere else though to make the road easier for Kareem to come.

 

Nah don't bring in Kareem. I like where the team is at now. But they do need a pg to run the offense. Then they will become likely contenders. Maybe Kareem can come to the Lakers and teach Chris Mihm. Go Lakers.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting pimpdaddy33:</div><div class="quote_post">Nah don't bring in Kareem. I like where the team is at now. But they do need a pg to run the offense. Then they will become likely contenders. Maybe Kareem can come to the Lakers and teach Chris Mihm. Go Lakers.</div>
Kareem would be EXECELLENT for Yao. Van Gundy is the one that would be opposed to it. But I'd say get it done soon as possible.

 

sky hook baby

 

Yao has a relationship with Ewing. But I just can't see Kareem helping out Yao. Kareem is so...not the coaching type.

 

Getting Kareem would be very good for the Rockets and most likely Yao, I know 75% of you wont agree with me, but the thing about Yao needing some great passes from a point guard, I was watching the news, and lots of basketball superstars went to this place and I saw Damon Stoudamire and he talked on the news and said he would like to play with Yao and T-mac, some of you think he might not be a great addition but I say lets take a shot at him.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting YugoRocketsfan:</div><div class="quote_post">Getting Kareem would be very good for the Rockets and most likely Yao, I know 75% of you wont agree with me, but the thing about Yao needing some great passes from a point guard, I was watching the news, and lots of basketball superstars went to this place and I saw Damon Stoudamire and he talked on the news and said he would like to play with Yao and T-mac, some of you think he might not be a great addition but I say lets take a shot at him.</div>
Why? Stoudamire is 5-10, 32 years old and never a pass first point guard. I would say he's a Stephon Marbury lite; why waste money on dude? Yeah, he dropped 54 this year blah blah blah, but at 5-10, having him would be just like having Andre Barrett. And Barrett comes for much less.

 

Its great for Stoudamire to be 5-10, he has speed, and thats what we need to improve our fast-break, also we need a pure type of Point guard, Sura isnt that great because his rebounding is better than his dishing and since lots of point guards with great team mates average a lot of assists, like Nash this year, Stoudamire also may be aging but Van Gundy likes Veterans, so thats a big thing for Stoudamire and he may score at least 13 a night. Also I would least expect 7 dishes a game from him.

 

I agree with Yugo, that is, I agree that 75% (or more) will disagree with him, me included, Damon Stoudamire isn't a pure point guard, he's a shoot first player. Look at the stats here..



Sura gets .5 less assists then Stoudemire, but he plays 3 less minutes, Sura's FG% is alot higher then Stoudamires and his rebounds are better, now Stoudamire beats Sura in a few things like points for example (But he shoots alot more) but everything is pretty much even, and you have to consider Sura wasn't even 100% this season, Stoudamire is one of the top options on his team whereas Sura isn't.

I think if we end up getting Stoudamire it would just hurt us in the end, he'll take away shots from our superstars and he requires more minutes to do pretty much what Sura does.

 

Yea, but Stoudamire plays for a bad team (Blazers), I think Sura is too tall to play the Point and I would like his dishing to be higher than his rebounding, also our team on some nights can we very bad from the free throw line and Stoudamire needs to learn how to get to the free throw line more during games and if Van Gundy can get Stoudamire to keep dishing it to Yao, i think Yao could average 20 a game next year.

My predictions for Stoudamire's stats are at least 14,3,7.

Many of Sura's dishes go to T-mac, or the open 3 point shooters.

Also bad things bout Sura is that he rebounds, and some of the rebounds should be used by Yao, I want him to average at least 9 next season.

 

Kareem would be a good coach for Yao, and instead of replacing Ewing as coach they should just work together and teach Yao the elements of the game. If both were to coach him Yao could learn a variety of things from two different centers. Kareem would teach him how to use his body and rebound, and Ewing could teach him how to defend the post or something. With two of the greatest centers coaching a player it would help Yao a lot, it would help his game grown and add diversity to it as well.

 

How did Kareem Abdul Jabbar interested in coaching Yao turn into a PG discussion?

Anyways... I agree that Stoudamire is a shoot first PG. I wouldnt mind having him off the bench tho. But if Mike James stays a Rocket I see no reason why we should go after him.

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting YugoRocketsfan:</div><div class="quote_post">Also bad things bout Sura is that he rebounds, and some of the rebounds should be used by Yao, I want him to average at least 9 next season.</div>
Does it really matter who gets the rebound? Sura gets it its Rockets ball. Yao gets it its Rockets ball. So it really doesnt matter if Sura takes rebounds away from Yao. Alot of the Rebounds Sura gets are long rebound that Yao cant even get to. So hes actually helping alot.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">How did Kareem Abdul Jabbar interested in coaching Yao turn into a PG discussion?</div>

It turned into a PG discussion because Kareem talks about how the Rockets need a person who can pass the ball to Yao so he can build up some points and I thought Stoudamire would be good because Sura doesnt pass enough to Yao.