Jun 28, 2002 10:48 AM EST
The Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen reports that the NBA's No. 1 draft pick said Thursday he's looking forward to battling with the best in the league -- even if he has to adjust to American food along the way.
A day after making basketball history, 7-5 Yao Ming worked out with the Chinese national team and pledged one day to best Shaquille O'Neal.
"He is a mountain in my way," Yao said, referring to the Los Angeles Lakers' 7-1 star. "I will try to conquer it by all means.
"My first tries may turn out to be failures, but I will continue with others."
Via Houston Chronicle
Houston Rockets
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For weeks, the Rockets had targeted Bostjan Nachbar with their second first-round pick. Then Nachbar put on a show that left the Rockets concerned only that he would be gone before they were up with the 15th pick.
But as impressive as Nachbar's performance was to the Rockets, he was more sold on the Rockets.
He checked flight schedules from Houston to his home in Slovenia. He imagined himself filling a wing with Yao Ming sending an outlet pass and Steve Francis handling the ball on a break. He penned a letter to general manager Carroll Dawson and coach Rudy Tomjanovich to thank them for considering him, the first letter of its type they had ever received and the only one he sent.
Rumors even circulated around the NBA that Nachbar saved his best for the Rockets' workout, not showing as much in other stops as he put on display Sunday on the Westside Tennis Club court.
Via Houston Chronicle
Houston Rockets, NBA Draft
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Jun 27, 2002 12:58 PM EST
It was a night that years from now could be looked back on as vitally important to the franchise. Not just for the Rockets' ability to get past the legal maneuvering that allowed them to make Yao the No. 1 overall choice in the draft, but also for the selection of Slovenia's Bostjan Nachbar with the No. 15 pick.
By taking a 7-5 Chinese center and a 6-8 forward from Europe, the Rockets were wholeheartedly embracing the globalization of basketball at the highest level and showing a broad vision that is putting a new spark in the old game and could pay huge dividends.
Take a look around the NBA and notice all of the international success stories running and jumping up and down courts. From Germany's Dirk Nowitzki, Canada's Steve Nash and China's Wang Zhizhi in Dallas to Serbia's Vlade Divac, Yugoslavia's Peja Stojakovic and Turkey's Hedo Turkoglu in Sacramento, the borders of our American game have expanded so far that there are no borders.
Via Houston Chronicle
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Rockets Jun 2002 Archive
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 27, 2002
After a lukewarm reception by Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley to the idea of taking Chinese center Yao Ming with the first pick in the draft, Rockets players are beginning to like the idea after seeing some tape of the man play, reports Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
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| Jun 26, 2002
Ming fills a huge void in Houston
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 26, 2002
But the problem for the Rockets is the mystique that surrounds the No.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 26, 2002
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes that Chinese center Yao Ming is cleared to come to the NBA next season.
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NY Daily News | Jun 26, 2002
Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reports that the letter giving Yao Ming clearance to play in the NBA hasn’t arrived in Houston yet.
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| Jun 25, 2002
According to Bob Wolfley, if you're Rudy Tomjanovich, if you're the Houston Rockets, don't you have to be scared to death about making Yao Ming the first pick in the draft?
This is more pressure than annually goes to the team with the first pick in the draft.
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Dallas Morning News | Jun 25, 2002
If Yao is selected first, he would be the first international player taken so high, and also carry the burden of proving that he is more than just an extra-long curiosity.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 25, 2002
Yao's availability -- or at least the hope the Rockets by Wednesday would get the letter assuring he could play in the NBA next season -- had come down to a second day of negotiations between Chinese agent Lu Hao and the China Basketball Association.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 24, 2002
Slovenian forward Bostjan Nachbar offered an impressive workout for Rockets coaches and scouts from the Raptors, Hawks and Jazz.
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Chicago Tribune | Jun 24, 2002
Bulls should stick to the plan
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Xinhuanet | Jun 22, 2002
Ming clears another hurdle
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 20, 2002
The Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen reports that Rockets physician Dr.
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Chicago Tribune | Jun 20, 2002
Will China let Ming go?
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 19, 2002
Basketball fans and Asian-American community leaders are thrilled that the Houston Rockets may draft Chinese basketball star Yao Ming as the National Basketball Association's No.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 19, 2002
Yao Ming’s representative says that he is extremely optimistic that agreements would be reached in ample time for the Rockets to choose Yao with the first pick of the NBA draft next week.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 18, 2002
Rockets general counsel, Michael Goldberg, left China Monday night after continued discussions with Chinese officials, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 17, 2002
When the Rockets were in China last week to talk with various officials of the Chinese basketball league, they had a chance to watch Yao Ming practice and to talk with him a bit.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 17, 2002
Michael Murphy of the Houston Chronicle wonders if Yao Ming is the right choice for the Rockets.
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Herald-Sun | Jun 14, 2002
The Herald-Sun reports that Jay Williams seems comfortable in Chicago.
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Chinese People's Daily | Jun 13, 2002
The Houston Rockets continued their tour of China in an attempt to convince officials to allow Yao Ming to come to America.
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Daily Herald | Jun 12, 2002
Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald takes a logical look at the upcoming draft.
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AP | Jun 11, 2002
Ming one step closer to Houston
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 11, 2002
During the regular season, Richard Jefferson was happy to gloat that the Nets got the better of the draft-night deal last June that sent him to New Jersey with fellow first-rounders Jason Collins and Brandon Armstrong for the rights to Eddie Griffin.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 11, 2002
"I never look back," O'Neal said last Wednesday, though he admitted the loss to the Rockets and the promises he made beginning that night continue to drive him.
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Chicago Tribune | Jun 10, 2002
The Bulls are waiting to see how the Wang Zhi-Zhi situation unfolds.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 10, 2002
The Rockets on Sunday began talks in Shanghai, China, with officials from the Shanghai Sharks that they hope will end with clearance for drafting Yao Ming.
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Chicago Sun-Times | Jun 9, 2002
Roman Modrowski of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that Jay Williams is saying all the right things.
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Dallas Morning News | Jun 8, 2002
NBA Commissioner David Stern said that Wang Zhi-Zhi’s eligibility to play in the NBA will not be affected by his status with the Chinese government.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 8, 2002
The Rockets have decided that Yao Mings’ talent on the basketball court is worthy of the number one pick in the draft.
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Xinhua Chinese News Agency | Jun 7, 2002
Zhi-Zhi talked to Chinese media today
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Dallas Morning News | Jun 7, 2002
Will Wang affect Ming?
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Chicago Tribune | Jun 6, 2002
K.
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Dallas Morning News | Jun 6, 2002
Jodie Valade of the Dallas Morning News reports that Wang is missing.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 5, 2002
Rockets to woo China for Ming
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ESPN | Jun 3, 2002
Andy Katz of ESPN.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 3, 2002
The Rockets got a new shipment of Yao Ming tapes Thursday.
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Houston Chronicle | Jun 3, 2002
To say yes or no to Yao, to Ming or not to Ming, that is the mother of all questions Leslie Alexander, Carroll Dawson and Rudy Tomjanovich must come to terms with before June 26.
