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I, for one, was annoyed by the fact that when he got hurt, he seemed more upset about the fact that he couldn't play in the Olympics rather than feel sorry for going down and costing the Rockets a chance to contend for the NBA title. Sure, its admirable that he wants to play for the Olympic team, but if that's his priority, maybe he shouldn't accept the millions of dollars the NBA is paying him. Yeah, I know that China owns his rights and he has to play for the Olympic team as part of his contract, but still. This injury really showed where his priorities are.

BigBlue4You

Nash did the same when he was in Dallas just to let you know.

Yao and McGrady are a perfect fit for each other: They will never win anything in the NBA, since they are injury prone and can't take over a game like a superstar can.

I, for one, was annoyed by the fact that when he got hurt, he seemed more upset about the fact that he couldn't play in the Olympics rather than feel sorry for going down and costing the Rockets a chance to contend for the NBA title. Sure, its admirable that he wants to play for the Olympic team, but if that's his priority, maybe he shouldn't accept the millions of dollars the NBA is paying him. Yeah, I know that China owns his rights and he has to play for the Olympic team as part of his contract, but still. This injury really showed where his priorities are.
BigBlue4You | 05/26/08, 09:11 AM

Yes, but how would you feel about that if you were from China. Or better yet, If pro basketball was only in europe, not USA, hypothetically, and if LeBron James, an American, was playing pro ball in France, and was more upset about missing the Olympics for America than games for his french team, how would that sit with you?
Yao puts up big numbers and plays very hard for the Rockets. He had already been informed he was going to miss the rest of the NBA season.,, and after that he's worried about playing for his country. I think playing for my country would be more important than playing for money, too, but that's just me.

Mike, you make a good point, but this isn't simple a country vs. money thing. Its not like he isn't getting paid by the NBA. He's trying to have his cake and eat it too. Basically I'd put it like this. What if you had a corporate CEO who was also interested in doing charity work? He draws a 7 figure salary from his corporate job, but spends an inordinate amount of time doing charity work, so much so that it affects his corporate job. I think he'd be made to chose one or the other at that point.

Also, Yao's interest in International B-Ball isn't completely unselfish. The guy rakes in killer endorsements from China, and he gets them from his visibility in both the NBA and the Chinese National Team.

Simcel - Yes, Nash played for Team Canada. But correct me if I'm wrong, I don't think he ever had an injury bug. There's nothing wrong with playing for your national (US, Canada, China, or otherwise) if you're able to stay healthy for the NBA season. But you shouldn't let it affect your professional performance.

Even before the injury, Yao had made it clear that playing for China was more important to him than playing for the Rockets.
Was the whole injury simply a ploy to allow him to "rest up" for the Olympics? Probably not, but it's suspicious nonetheless.
In general, Yao has been a model athlete - as noted, until this year, he did his job for the Rockets. However, the timing of the injury this past Spring raises questions.
- JL

Raises questions? yeah... questions about his health... but if you are referring to his commitment to ther rockets, i think you are off. When he was available for extension, he made no fuss and signed very quietly with the rockets. He has never even entertained the idea of leaving for a bigger market or more championship ready team. Never has he publically complained about shot selection/playing time/style (he had to watch francis jack up shot after shot). Yes, he may reguard playing for china as a higher priority, but that has no ways affected his effort and comitment for the rockets in season. I can agree that if he did not play in the summer he would be more fresh, but that is out of his hands (his national commitment is mandatory). And this was part of the agreement that the rockets accepted when drafting/signing him. Of all the players that one can "question" about commitment, I believe yao is one of the last to be questioned. His work ethics, sportsmanship and commitment to the rockets and the NBA and basketball to a whole can be compared to almost anyone.

I have never even remotely understood the delusion that people have when it comes to the money involved in labor cost for professional sports teams. Billionaires transact business with millionaires and people write/talk about it in terms as if they are personally involved.

News flash...this is a capitalist society and any business transactions between people are their business alone (unless it involves public money) and pro athlete pay therfore is a private deal between two entities where morality or ethics is not at all involved outside of the interest of those two entities...ownership and labor/player.

Stop sounding like complete idiots by talking about money that does not involve you, will never enrich you, and should never concern you. No ones talking about what you paid the roto rooter man, or the car dealership, or your barber, or the the electric company , or mcDonalds for the "over priced" big mac.

Also, the patriotsim of a person that is the legal property of a communist country needs to be evaluated from a perspective that on this day, memorial day, is reflected in the way we honor the fallen heroes of America. Those that paid for our freedom to do evaluate publicly without fear of loss of livlihood or any other freedom we take for granted. The man would simply suffer tremendously if he expressed any other sentiment other than the one he did at the time.

Why would someone fake an injury when his team is on that long winning streak. Yao Ming is an outstanding player and person. How can he not be upset that he's not gona be playing with his NBA team which at that point had a very good chance of advancing well into the playoffs. Of course anyone who loves his country of origin would give anything to play carrying its flag, heck I bet any American would give almost anything to rep[resent their country in any event.

The fact also that he gets injured a lot means that he hussles and plays hard for his team, otherwise you'll get a player who's not willing to risk his body for the game.,

dose it really matter U.S.A IS GOING ALL THE WAY WITH KOBE BRYANT.

Rockets surely needed this clown when they went against Utah. A Houston - Lakers match-up would have been more difficult because Lakers don't have a legit center since Bynum went down. Don't tell me that Lakers can handle Yao with the likes of guys like Chris Mihm or Radmonivic.