He's expected to honor his contract, and we knew that would be the case when we drafted him. If the whole thing was flipped around, and our greatest basketball player and celebrity left the US the play in China, I think most of us would want him to play for our national team once a year as well. I think it's somewhat selfish for us Rockets fans to expect Yao to stay here and forgo his obligations to his country.
This is one of the reasons hes so under developed. How is he gonna work on his NBA game playing national ball. can Yao rest? How will his body recover from the strains of the NBA season? How is he gonna get sronger, work on his foot work, work on his defence, if he is not in a program that will help fine tune him in the off season. But I think Yao would go even if they didnt demand it, simply because he thinks that he owes it to his country. But if it aint the Olypics it doesnt matter. GL Yao Hopefully this doesnt go on for the rest of your career.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">He's expected to honor his contract, and we knew that would be the case when we drafted him. If the whole thing was flipped around, and our greatest basketball player and celebrity left the US the play in China, I think most of us would want him to play for our national team once a year as well. I think it's somewhat selfish for us Rockets fans to expect Yao to stay here and forgo his obligations to his country.</div> Well said. While you could make a case for Yao and say that the Chinese government is selfish, they have their own reasons in defense. It was in China's youth system and Basketball League where Yao learnt the game and upped his NBA stock. You can say that Yao's success in the NBA is part because of his training in China. This is the least Yao can do for his country. In fact, I don't think he minds, having grown up in China with a big patriotic influence and being taught since young to repay your country when you grow up.
I dont know if yao is going to develope into a better player if he never rests. Eventually working like this is going to get to him. Already, when you look at this year and last year, his minutes per game have dropped two minutes. He is never going to be a high energy and hustle player like we want if he works all year. You cant do anything about it though. China comes first and the rockets are second, we all know that.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting JuLiO-R-:</div><div class="quote_post">CMON! I can Understand Olympics but the Asia Games arn't that huge.</div> Exactly what I'm saying. Someone mentioned that China can do without Yao in this tournament... So why not let the younger players get valuable playing experience, develop them and also develop Yao in the process (by letting him rest and actually focus on his own game)?
I don't understand this complaint that Yao needs to rest to get better. It's not like he's playing in China during the whole offseason. I believe that the China games only come in September. So he has a few months to recuperate from his sugery and work on his basketball skills. That should be sufficient. Karl Malone maintained a strict exercise regimen year-round, and he never tired late in the season or during the playoffs. I think the "Yao is tired because he has to play for China" argument is overblown. The fact is players of his size historically can't play 35+ minutes a game on a consistent basis. Maybe issues of stamina and fatigue is just something Rockets fans have to live with when it comes to Yao. We just have to take the bad with the good (and there's plenty of good things about Yao being a Rocket).
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting durvasa:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't understand this complaint that Yao needs to rest to get better. It's not like he's playing in China during the whole offseason. I believe that the China games only come in September. So he has a few months to recuperate from his sugery and work on his basketball skills. That should be sufficient. Karl Malone maintained a strict exercise regimen year-round, and he never tired late in the season or during the playoffs. I think the "Yao is tired because he has to play for China" argument is overblown. The fact is players of his size historically can't play 35+ minutes a game on a consistent basis. Maybe issues of stamina and fatigue is just something Rockets fans have to live with when it comes to Yao. We just have to take the bad with the good (and there's plenty of good things about Yao being a Rocket).</div> I agree People forget that Yao is still young so he should not be loosing so much energy at his age.
If Yao wants to play for China this summer, it should be HIS decision. I think the Chinese Government is too demanding. They may have trained Yao but they don't have the right to tell him what to do with his life. It should be Yao's decision not their's.
One thing to clear up here is that China expects Yao to play for them, not order. It's not like they'll arrest him and execute him if he doesn't go ahead with their plans.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">If Yao wants to play for China this summer, it should be HIS decision. I think the Chinese Government is too demanding. They may have trained Yao but they don't have the right to tell him what to do with his life. It should be Yao's decision not their's.</div> Yeah, but if he doesn't play for China, he'll lose so much fan support from there. Would you know how it feels to have your home country- your place of birth and home hate you?
Hey some people are complaining about this situation. The Rockets knew when they drafted Yao, that he would have this responsiblity to the Chinese nation. I feel horrible for them though. Yao would be so much better if he had time to rest and work out on his own and not witht he team.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Trip:</div><div class="quote_post">One thing to clear up here is that China expects Yao to play for them, not order. It's not like they'll arrest him and execute him if he doesn't go ahead with their plans.</div> Yeah they won't arrest and execute him if he doesn't go back, but they won't let Yao go back to China at all. That would suck big time for Yao or for anybody if they can't go back to their home country.
Still isn't an order. Yao has the leverage to pull a Wang ZhiZhi, although I don't expect him to. If he does intend to disobey China, he'd be set in the US. His parents are already with him in Houston, and his girlfriend has also signed with the Sacramento Monarchs of the WNBA. There's nothing holding him back.
stay or go? hello,I am a chinese who from Hangzhou ,the city next to Yao's hometown Shanghai.Honestly, I also hope that Yao would spent his summer in houston to further improve his sKill as most of you are expecting. However, Yao has a promise to china's basketball association(CBA),and Yao is a talented player , and is also a selflessness man. I do hope Yao could have more rest ,and have a wonderful 05-06 season .If he have a good rest , he will have less turnover. Oh, my friends, Thank u for supporting Yao.
