<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/Yao...187207-822.html<span style="color:#FF0000"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%">Can Yao? </span> <span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%">Behind the Rockets center, China wants to become a basketball power </span> </span> <span style="color:#FF0000">By Damien PierceRockets.com</span>Since becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, Yao Ming has become a global icon and one of the best big men in the NBA. Now, the big fella is hoping to do the unthinkable with China. Behind the Rockets' 7-foot-6 center and China's rising international star, the Chinese are hoping to finally become a basketball power on the international hoops scene.The Chinese men's national team, which has pinpointed the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as its coming out party, is hoping to get a step closer to hoops dominance with a strong showing at the upcoming FIBA World Championships in Japan.China will open the Worlds against Italy on Saturday.The sudden reason for China's optimism is Yao. The Rockets' big man is quickly becoming one of the best centers in the world and has the potential to be one of the most dominating figures in basketball. But even with Yao's presence and the sudden surge of optimism surrounding China basketball, there are still plenty of questions.Can one man carry China to basketball greatness? Does China have enough pieces around Yao to challenge countries like the United States and Argentina? Is Yao ready to dominate? Yao hasn't shied away from the expectations and believes China can medal in the next Olympics. "I am looking forward to a better result than eighth place at Athens," Yao told the China Daily in 2005. "To win a medal on home soil is our goal."The Chinese have never finished better than eighth at the Olympics.However, that finish came at the 2004 Olympics. Yao and Co. upset defending world champion Serbia and Montenegro in Athens to finish eighth and are hoping to build on that at Worlds.During its tune-up games for the Worlds, China has offered mixed results on its progress over the past two years. The Chinese suffered a 46-point loss to the United States in an Aug. 7 exhibition after failing to handle Team USA's press and speed. However, China was missing Yao in that performance.Yao went into camp with a broken left foot that he suffered during the Rockets' season. When Yao returned to China's lineup on Aug. 11, the center scored 11 points and kept China in an exhibition game against Germany before losing 82-73.German player Patrick Femerling saw enough from that performance to consider China a medal contender at the upcoming Worlds. "Yao Ming is a great player," he told the Associated Press. "He's one of the best centers in the world, but I was very impressed with the whole team. They're very mobile, agile and versatile players." The problem, though, is that the majority of China's players don't have NBA-caliber experience. Yao has wanted to see more of his Chinese teammates playing abroad."The head coach (Jonas Kazlauskas ) told me Yi Jianlian and some other players should go to the NBA or leagues in Europe," Yao told China Daily. "I back his idea and I believe they have the ability to compete in higher level competitions." Since joining the Rockets in 2002, Yao has spent virtually every summer in China working out with the national team.The Chinese Basketball Association essentially allowed Yao to pursue his NBA dreams so that he could develop his game and become a stronger player for international competition.On Saturday, Yao will begin to find out if he's closer to leading China to an Olympic medal.</div>
I think that Yao is good ....but not that good. Chins lost by 46 to the states. He is not worth 46points!
Well it was Yao's first game back. Don't hate. They still wouldn't have stood a chance but they coulda gave more of a fight I guess.But hey...China beat Austrailia with Yao's shot with 2.7 seconds left
