Post: #1

Here's an interesting and "feel good" story about the NBA's first Asian-American player, he's kind of like the "Rudy" of the NBA.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cg...1N509O.DTL

Post: #2

I dont watch basketball but ... Yao Ming?

Chef In Jeans
A culinary website for men

Post: #3

I'm a New Yorker and a Knick fan, so yeah, I know all about him! Just so everyone understands...he isn't the first Asian to play in the league. He's the first Asian-AMERICAN to play. And he played college ball in the Ivy league, which was a strike against him. Not a lot of NBA players come out of the Ivy League. I don't know if he has a future as a full-time starting point guard, but he's definitely proven he can play in the league.

Post: #4

The sport needs him. Mad amount of Asian NBA fans and a lot of dudes play it, I hope he does well.

Post: #5

I see it in baseball definitely. When a team comes in that has a great Japanese player, the stands are full of supporters. The Knicks have "international nights" to coincide when a team with a prominent international player comes into the Garden.

Post: #6

(02-09-2012 05:13 PM)Timoteo Wrote:  I'm a New Yorker and a Knick fan, so yeah, I know all about him! Just so everyone understands...he isn't the first Asian to play in the league. He's the first Asian-AMERICAN to play. And he played college ball in the Ivy league, which was a strike against him. Not a lot of NBA players come out of the Ivy League. I don't know if he has a future as a full-time starting point guard, but he's definitely proven he can play in the league.

Ah okay, I didn't catch that at first.

Chef In Jeans
A culinary website for men

Post: #7

(02-09-2012 05:34 PM)Timoteo Wrote:  I see it in baseball definitely. When a team comes in that has a great Japanese player, the stands are full of supporters. The Knicks have "international nights" to coincide when a team with a prominent international player comes into the Garden.

Even from a league wide standpoint this is great. The Knicks get a lot of national games on ESPN & TNT so he will get a lot of exposure. It never made sense why there are not more Asian players in the game, i guess it was a generational gap maybe like you see in hockey. A lot of brothers are in the NHL now vs like 10 yrs ago it was only a handful.

High ball IQ
He's got good size
He's quick as hell
Dantoni open offense with tons of pick and rolls

If him and Amare click, watch out!

Yao was trash lol I'm happy my Asian homies got a dude who's legit to rally behind.

Post: #8

   

Post: #9

"Yao was trash lol I'm happy my Asian homies got a dude who's legit to rally behind."

Trash? That's a harsh assessment for a man that averaged 19 pts. and 9 rebounds for his career, and was one of the most highly-skilled centers in the game. Unfortunately, he had bad feet and missed a lot of games in his career, and ultimately it forced him to retire. But healthy, other centers couldn't do too much with him. The NBA is incredibly popular in China now because of Yao. Non-Chinese players are incredibly popular there, since the NBA broadcasts games regularly. There is even talk of starting an NBA-backed league there, and China wants to grow its national team program to compete with the rest of the world internationally. Courts are being built in remote villages. That's all because of Yao. Jeremy Lin gives them another player they can use to grow the game in China, but it's still because of Yao. Lin actually played a few games for Golden State last year, which also has a large Chinese community (San Francisco).

Post: #10

Watched his highlights and he looks to be an impressive player. Any hype surrounding this kid is well deserved. I hope he can expand the game, that'd be great for a lot of kids out there.

Post: #11

yao was trash?

he was the best center in the league when shaw declined. in 06-08 when shaq was getting phat and dwight was still a baby, yao beasted.

Post: #12

(02-09-2012 04:51 PM)Chad Daring Wrote:  I dont watch basketball but ... Yao Ming?

Yao's not an American citizen.

Post: #13

Yao Ming did do a lot for the game...

BUT... the problem is that the only thing I really remember about him is him sitting on the bench injured.

and this...

Post: #14

Don't cry Yao riders but his body broke down to early him and Oden will both be insignificant blips in the NBA historical front 10 years from now. Like really dude was nice for 4 years.

Post: #15

Didn't read the link but I have read about this in other publications. I agree, it's a real feel-good story. I was so pleased when I read about him. Playing at Harvard probably hurt his rise, but the teams that cut him still look dumb now. At the very least he sounds like a solid back-up PG. Not to mention that he'll bring people to the games who otherwise would not have come.

Post: #16

he's a beast.

Post: #17

Let me get this right, playing for a college where you need brains (and a lot of them) to gain admission hurts you in professional sports?

Hahahahaa

Post: #18

From what I understand he led his high school basketball team to the state championship, but wasn't recruited by any major teams, shit even stellar schools like UCLA and CAL have decent basketball programs. I hate to pull the race card, but I think his being Asian, probably hurt his prospects (at least straight outta high school).

Post: #19

(02-10-2012 03:06 AM)Moma Wrote:  Let me get this right, playing for a college where you need brains (and a lot of them) to gain admission hurts you in professional sports?

Hahahahaa

It isn't so much that going to a great academic school in itself hurts you, but that the competition isn't as high as other schools. Ivy League Schools don't offer athletic scholarships, so other kids that may be smart enough to get in may opt to go elsewhere because they couldn't afford to go Ivy. Basically, these schools aren't sports factories like other schools, so they don't often get the kind of athletes that can go to the next level. They get the kind of kids that want to play college athletics, but aren't necessarily looking to play beyond college. They'll go on to be doctors, lawyers, businessmen, etc.

Post: #20

38 points tonight...who is this guy !?!?

Post: #21

He was balling like crazy tonight. Melo's job is on the line!

Post: #22

I don't want to get ahead of myself, but this kid is for real.. he's going to be the catalyst to make the Knicks contenders

Post: #23

(02-10-2012 11:33 PM)sine wave killer Wrote:  He was balling like crazy tonight. Melo's job is on the line!

If Lin plays well with Amare which I think he will, then Melo needs to fit in - if the team is playing better with Lin.

If Melo doesn't adjust his game, then I think you are right. I would trade Melo for more team players like the Knicks traded away to get Melo in the first place.

Post: #24

One thing is for sure, Lin is getting more ass than a toilet seat.

Somebody tell him about the forum!

Post: #25