Author Topic: Yao Ming dx interview (Read 124 times)

Elano · « **on:** February 18, 2008, 11:25:10 PM »

It’s not that Yao Ming doesn’t deserve to start in the February 17 NBA All-Star Game. With 22 points a night, nearly 11 rebounds and all sorts of havoc in the paint, the five-year vet should most definitely be in New Orleans with K.G., A.I. and the rest. But for Yao to have almost 1.3 million votes compared to fellow Western Conference centers Amare Stoudemire, Marcus Camby and Eric Dampier’s combined 1.2 million is just bananas! Of course, all the ballot stuffing for the Chinese legend is nothing new.
Yao’s had his countrymen’s full attention since his first growth spurt. That his Houston Rockets are playing pretty well right now and his native land is making its final preparations for the planet’s biggest sporting event, the 2008 Summer Games, only makes the spotlight on the 7-6, 310 pounder seem even brighter these days. Here the 27-year-old Yao spreads some Asian wisdom on being adored by millions, defended by five and married to one.

HipHopDX: Man, you’re swamped on the court and off of it...
Yao Ming: I appreciate [that] people care about me and watch me and support me. That’s a good feeling, you know? That’s a really good feeling. Hopefully, that can continue. I will keep on working hard.
DX: On the court, you’re the center of attention for opponents, too...
YM: When you play to a [certain] level, you’re going to get double-teamed and triple-teamed—as soon as you catch the ball. They’re coming, just like we do to another team. We will not let Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett or someone of that level catch the ball and leave our teammate to guard on him. We will double-team, too. I’m not frustrated. When I see them coming, I know my next move is to find an open teammate and move the ball out. Or feel the double-team before they’re coming. That’s the experience I’ve learned the last two years when they started double-teaming harder and harder. I do get frustrated with how sometimes I make the wrong decision.
DX: It must feel good having to play Kevin Garnett just twice now?
YM: That’s not just good for us. That’s good for all of the Western Conference. For us, he’s a very tough match-up…
DX: What other centers are a handful for you?
YM: So many people ask that same question. I would say since Shaq moved to the East, so many centers are on the same level. Some guys like Tim Duncan play with their back to the basket more. Kevin Garnett plays more facing the basket. Right now, they really don’t have that many real centers. It’s really a mix of players that play the 4 and 5 position. There’s not much players like me, Shaq and [Zydrunas] Ilgauskas that only play center. Eddie Curry [too]. When you ask me about centers, it could be hard because they don’t have that many centers left. It’s really a mix of players—and it’s not just the 4 and 5; some players are 1 and 2 or 1, 2 and 3. [These guys that mix] They get more chances. They get more opportunities. When you can play two different positions, obviously, you have more advantage. When you play against different types of opponents, you can make your own choice. When you play against a guy that’s stronger than you, you can go outside and then penetrate to the middle. Not just your back to the basket and try to pound it inside.
DX: This is your first year with head coach Rick Adelman. What are your early thoughts about him?
YM: He’s a [player's coach]. He’s really good for listening to players and what they want. He didn’t just move his experience from the Sacramento Kings to Houston; he’s been changing. "Okay, I got success at Sacramento. I’m going to move 100% [of that] to the Houston Rockets." No, he didn’t do that. During the training camp, he let us play for free and he learned who could do what. Like McGrady, people know he can penetrate, he can shoot, he can defense. [Adelman] still wanted to learn what’s the best for him. And what’s the best for me. With the rest of the guys, he learned each one. And then, everybody feels comfortable.
DX: Yao, your overall numbers are great. But if there was one area you’d like to improve upon, where would that be?
YM: I want to cut down turnovers. That’s a big part of it. That’s been very frustrating my last two years. My turnover rate is going straight up like the elevators. Of course, my scoring is going up. I still want to keep the turnovers down.
DX: As a big man, how are you able to shoot nearly 87% from the free-throw line?
YM: Because I play so much inside, there’s going to be a lot of fouls. Sometimes [other teams] try to save even one point and they put me on the free-throw line. I still make it, which will be good for our team. In the last minutes of the game, I can play out there. Sometimes in the last minute on the court, people put their worst free-throw shooter out [of the game] to make sure that doesn’t happen. I still can help my teammates in the last minutes. How do I make them? We keep training. We keep practicing that since we played basketball. My Chinese coach says that’s free points; you have no reason to give up.

DX: When Tracy McGrady is injured, a lot of pressure falls onto your shoulders. How do you handle it?
YM: I do have that pressure. But that’s human nature. When you have a man down, particularly one like Tracy McGrady, you would feel pressure. The problem is handling the pressure. Obviously, last night I didn’t do well. I’ll do better the next game. Every important game comes with great pressure. You can’t say, I want to play in the NBA Finals but I don’t want the pressure. That’s impossible. Those important games cause a lot of people to concentrate on it. I would be honest and say, I have pressure but I know how to handle it. If you have pressure, you need to face it.
DX: Do you have a pre-game ritual?
YM: Before I go to the court, I’m always repeating, “Today I’m facing…” Like last night with Stoudemire, I know he’s very athletic. He’s got a jump-shot outside. They’re going to put me in a lot of pick-and-rolls. Or like the next game against Dallas, I’ve already watched the film. It’ll be Eric Dampier. Maybe a lil’ bit of Dirk Nowitzki. There are mixed match-ups sometimes. I have to know what is my best game to try and beat them, like running down the court and trying to make them foul. Put them into foul trouble and make the free-throws.
DX: Yao, what exactly does it mean to have the Olympics coming to your country?
YM: That was a big deal for us, for my country. Our put a lot of passion, energy into preparing for these games. When the games is closer and closer, everyone cannot wait until the people come to China and [we can say], We are ready for you. We will give you feelings like you were just at home. That will be one of the best Olympics in history.
DX: You recently got married. How has that been?
YM: That’s a big step for me—even though I stayed with my wife for seven years already. The last couple of years before marriage we feel just like marriage even though we didn’t make that step. It just feel that way. After that, I still feel a lil’ bit different [now]. When I drive in the middle of the night, I know to slow down a lil’ bit. It’s not big changes; just small change. Hey, you’re a married man now. You need to slow down, calm down a little bit. That’s not meaning you’re losing passion; just know that you need to take care of people.
DX: Any advice for guys about to walk down the aisle?
YM: I don’t have too much experience. I’ve only been married three, not four, months yet.
DX: Overall, what are your thoughts about American culture?
YM: I can’t give you an answer right now. Actually, I’m getting used to it. I can’t say that I like it or love it. I still miss home a lot. If you were to ask me a choice, I still would like home better. I’m getting used to [America]. I like the people here. They’re very friendly, people in my neighborhood, people in Houston.
DX: What’s this fascination you have with war history?
YM: I like war history. Well, for boys, they like to watch war movies. They like ships and aircrafts and soldiers. I don’t know what’s so interesting [to me] about history. When I was in high school, I enjoyed listening to stories. You can learn a lot of experience from that. Maybe you don’t be that big [and powerful] and lead a whole country, but you can learn something. How they handle the pressure. Don’t say I like war. I like war stories.
DX: Besides war history, what else do you enjoy?
YM: Video games. A lot of NBA players like them, but I’m a lil’ bit different: I play the PC games. I play a lil’ bit of Playstation. I like swimming. Before I played basketball, I tried out for the water polo team. They kicked me out and said I was too slow: “Sorry, you can’t make it.” I went and tried out for basketball. This was a long time ago, seven or eight years ago, I would say in the summer. Children like pools.
DX: What about movies?
YM: This summer my favorite movie was Transformers. I liked Transformers when I was little. A couple of years ago, there was a metal [toy] of the leader (Optimus Prime). You watched the movie? A couple of parts were frustrating. Megatron should have been a gun. Starscreen should be a F-14. It’s not a F-22! Bumblebee was the biggest mistake. He is a Beetle, not a Chevrolet!

Citizen-Y · « **Reply #1 on:** February 20, 2008, 04:57:36 AM »

Yao is a great person.

Antonio_ · « **Reply #2 on:** February 20, 2008, 06:31:39 AM »

Quote from: Elano on February 18, 2008, 11:25:10 PM

DX: What about movies?
YM: This summer my favorite movie was Transformers. I liked Transformers when I was little. A couple of years ago, there was a metal [toy] of the leader (Optimus Prime). You watched the movie? A couple of parts were frustrating. Megatron should have been a gun. Starscreen should be a F-14. It’s not a F-22! Bumblebee was the biggest mistake. He is a Beetle, not a Chevrolet!

LMAO