Before you all get panties in a bunch im not talking in terms of histroy, Yao will never be better than shaq was. i mean in the next five years will Shaq continue to be the most dominant center or will Yao have a good chance of overtaking him in the time before he retires?
I would hope to see Yao surpassing Shaq as the league's most dominant center. But how can one fairly judge that? Yao may end up with better stats than Shaq, but that won't necessarily label Yao as the most dominant center. It might be because the Heat have so many good players and Shaq doesn't get the opportunity to put up big numbers. In that case, even Andrew Bogut might end up having better stats than Shaq.
well he most likely will becaus eShaq is on the decline in his career and Yao is approaching his prime. However there is no chance at all tha the will ever be a good as Shaq.
Yao will surpass him stat-wise but will never be close to being the dominant force that Shaq was IMO. Shaq had the killer instinct, something Yao hasnt really shown in this first years. Yao rarely goes out and just dominates games that way that Shaq has. That being said, Yao is still in-line to be the best center in the NBA by far
he will be better than shaq, in fact, he is better than shaq now. The next three to five years will make or brake Yao's career, but we have to remember he's only twenty-four. And who's to say if he wins four to five championships that he won't go down as a better center? He will never be as dominating as Shaq but dominating doesn't exactly equal better. Yao is already more skilled and with a couple of years of nba basketball under his belt, he is sure to become more of a physical presence. And with the team that is being assembled down in H-Town, the nba better be on the look out!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting WhiteManCanJump:</div><div class="quote_post">Yao will surpass him stat-wise but will never be close to being the dominant force that Shaq was IMO. Shaq had the killer instinct, something Yao hasnt really shown in this first years. Yao rarely goes out and just dominates games that way that Shaq has. That being said, Yao is still in-line to be the best center in the NBA by far</div> well that brings up another point if shaq is on the decline and with no newly emmerging centers in sight, will we in a couple years hear of yao as the best center in the nba? and is so is that a good thing?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting side45wayz:</div><div class="quote_post">he will be better than shaq, in fact, he is better than shaq now. The next three to five years will make or brake Yao's career, but we have to remember he's only twenty-four. And who's to say if he wins four to five championships that he won't go down as a better center? He will never be as dominating as Shaq but dominating doesn't exactly equal better. Yao is already more skilled and with a couple of years of nba basketball under his belt, he is sure to become more of a physical presence. And with the team that is being assembled down in H-Town, the nba better be on the look out!</div> Umm..are you kidding me? There is no way that he is better than Shaq right now. He probably won't win those championship because the Sprus dynasty is in the way. There is no possible way that he will be a better canter. Shaq is just to dominant and unlike Yao he isn't soft. Um...have you ever seen Shaq down low, he is very skilled for a big man if not the most skilled big man in the league.
Yao will never be anywhere near as dominant as Shaq, he may put up similar numbers but he doesn't have the killer instinct or leadership to be such a great player. Yao could put up big numbers but he wont go anywhere without another superstar (T-Mac) who can take over a game.
I think whether or not Yao becomes the best center in th next few years depends on whether Amare Stoudemire takes up the Center Position full time.
even though Yao is years younger that Shaq he still cannot match the alround ability and agility that Shaq posseses at his age, the soft hands in the post, the ability to spin his defender around and put the ball in the hoop as only Shaq can.and the clutch plays down the stretch that Yao may learn to make as time goes on. but as long as shaq is around hes never going to be no.1 never. Even when Shaq is forty as long as he can stand he'll be no.1. i'm not hatin on Yao, just speakin the truth.Sorry
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dakeem1:</div><div class="quote_post">I think whether or not Yao becomes the best center in th next few years depends on whether Amare Stoudemire takes up the Center Position full time.</div> If Amare becomes a full time Center he will eat Yao for breakfast lunch and dinner.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting playmaker31:</div><div class="quote_post">If Amare becomes a full time Center he will eat Yaho for breakfast lunch and dinner.</div> Yao would do the same to Amare. Neither of them can really stop eachother 1 on 1. As for the Yao/Shaq comparison, I dont think Yao will ever be better than Shaq. I do think Yao has the chance to be a dominant player, but hes not gonna do by overpowering his opponents. He's gonna dominate the Yao way. Low post moves, unblockable shots, and every once in a while a powerful dunk.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If Amare becomes a full time Center he will eat Yaho for breakfast lunch and dinner.</div> hmm...have you seen any of the games the rockets played against the suns im pretty in the last game Amare got his ass handed to by Yao (22 reb.)... but i really dont think it matters if Yao will be better than Shaq as long as Yao and Tmac beat the spurs and win the championship about 5 times in a row its not going to matter
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TMacAttack:</div><div class="quote_post"> as long as Yao and Tmac beat the spurs and win the championship about 5 times in a row its not going to matter</div> not going to happen, but it's ok to dream. I'm just sayin that I htink once Amare gets more experienced as a center he will be the best centhe West.
Amare isn't a center and doesn't want to be one he's a natural 4, starting this season he'll go back to the 4 spot with kirk thomas as the center. Truthfully though i project shaq to be the top center for at least the next two seasons still.
Yao will undoubtly surpass Shaq down the line. This is of course assuming Shaq plays through his 5 year contract. All the great bigs eventually turn into mediocre/scrub players if they hang around long enough. Just look at Hakeem, Malone, Mutombo, etc...
I HATE THIS THREAD! Yao isn't better than Shaq, and probably won't ever be. But aslong as people keep comparing them, they'll always make it seem like Yao sucks. Yao can be a great center, that's all I'm saying. If you take Shaq out the equation, Yao is hands down the best center.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rock4life:</div><div class="quote_post">I HATE THIS THREAD! Yao isn't better than Shaq, and probably won't ever be. But aslong as people keep comparing them, they'll always make it seem like Yao sucks. Yao can be a great center, that's all I'm saying. If you take Shaq out the equation, Yao is hands down the best center.</div> Ya I have also become tired of threads comparing the two. The fact of the matter is they are way to different centers to even compare them. Yao is finese and long, Shaq is powerful and dominant. But as far as stats I think Yao of course will have better stats because Shaq is getting old and has other stars on his team.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting playmaker31:</div><div class="quote_post">Umm..are you kidding me? There is no way that he is better than Shaq right now. He probably won't win those championship because the Sprus dynasty is in the way. There is no possible way that he will be a better canter. Shaq is just to dominant and unlike Yao he isn't soft. Um...have you ever seen Shaq down low, he is very skilled for a big man if not the most skilled big man in the league.</div> Umm... no, I'm not. Just because Yao isn't a slow, no skilled, can't hit a free-throw overpowering oaf like Shaq doesn't mean he can't be as good or better of a center. They both have different styles - Yao, the skilled Shang-hi shake going baseline Ming, or Shaq ,the I have to be a foot and a half away from the basket or else I look like a fool, O'neal. And yes, I have seen Shaq down low, many times; and when he goes against Yao he usually looks they way he plays, old and slow. And Amare isn't even playing center. The Suns traded Richardson for Kurt Thomas and he is there center. It will be Stromile Swift on Amare and there almost the same type of player, granted Amare is more talented but Swift has just as much athleticsm to go head to head. Watch out for H-Town in the years to come
