<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Yao Ming is having a breakout season, and his potential remains limitless. The 7-foot-6 center for the Houston Rockets is averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds for the first time, one of only four players in the league with those numbers. Since returning from toe surgery Jan. 30, Yao has averaged 23.3 points and 11.2 rebounds. Since the All-Star Game three weeks ago, he boasts 27.5 points and 13.3 rebounds a contest. In other words, he's getting better every month. Yao's future looks even better: He's 25, Shaquille O'Neal is 35 and there are either no true centers left or 7-footers interested in playing the position. Players who average 20 points and 10 rebounds usually do so for a number of seasons. O'Neal averaged 20-10 for the past 13 seasons and Tim Duncan for the past eight, although both streaks are in danger this season. Hakeem Olajuwon hit those milestones 12 times, and Karl Malone did it 10 times. Patrick Ewing did it nine consecutive seasons, and his first one wasn't until he was 27. That's the player Yao is most similar to: Ewing, one of Houston's assistant coaches. Both are offensive-minded centers who aren't as imposing as they look on the defensive end. Like Ewing, Yao can hit the 15-foot jumper. And most importantly, both adjusted to NBA officiating. Many players, especially big men, average more than three fouls a game when they first enter the league. Then they adjust. Ewing improved in his mid-20s for the same reason as Yao. They committed fewer fouls, so they were able to play more minutes and put up more 20-10 games. Ewing averaged 35.4, 35.0 and 31.0 minutes a game in his first three seasons, partly because he also averaged 3.8, 3.9 and 4.0 fouls. </div> Source
I'm surprised to read that Ewing did not average 20-10 until he was 27. Yao's offensive potential is unlimited, but I have doubts about whether he can ever average more than 10 rebounds a game. If he gets 20 shots a game, there is a very good chance he'll average close to 30 ppg.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Marc Stein: What it tells me is that Yao was hurting a lot more than he let on before his toe surgery and isn't getting enough credit for playing through the pain early and never complaining. It's also true that he suddenly seems a lot more assertive calling for the ball, but I'd say health and the natural maturation process are the key factors. </div> Some nice insight on Yao.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Rockets would be smart to add a defensive-minded enforcer to play beside Yao, not an athletic player like Stromile Swift. Patrick Ewing had Charles Oakley. Bill Walton had Maurice Lucas. That's the best way for Yao to reach his limitless potential. </div> Kelvin Cato played well for JVG and alongside Yao a couple seasons ago and he's a free agent this offseason... it would be interesting to see if the Rockets make him an offer this offseason.
I would say Yao does not have "limitless" potential because his sheer mass results in other physical limitations. He certainly isn't athletic in the same sense that Shaq was in his prime, or even now at 35 years old. People look at Yao and assume he must have all the physical tools to be the greatest center ever. Therefore, they conclude he's an underachiever. I look at it differently. I think Yao has to work to overcome his limitations physically, and though his progress is slow and gradual, it has been steady from the first day he stepped on a basketball court. Critics think that he just has to "figure out" that he's big, and all of a sudden he'll dominate. As if athleticism and stamina don't factor in at all.
u guys are interestd in basketball and really concern about the HOU & YAO,I can see the opinion from u,and i really agree with that. YAO's play always makes people thinking"be more flinty,get more rebound",and yah I think that way too.So hope him can figure out the problems that people wanna let him improve,i mean whatever he actually think it's right or not,hope him will think about that.
I wouldn't say limitless either, since unltimately the current NBA rules will be his limiting factor. Once he gets going, teams will throw double and triple teams at him to prevent him from catching the ball. If Yao played in the pre-zone-defense era, his stats would definitely have been inflated earlier in his career.
