BOSTON – He is The Dynasty. The Next Big Thing. The NBA’s Savior.
And tonight he’ll play the league’s biggest stage.
For the first time, Yao Ming will play on the fabled Madison Square Garden floor. All seven feet, six inches of him.
Houston’s rookie sensation flew in to a salivating New York City after the Rockets’ 101-95 OT win over the Celtics last night. Asked how excited he was to finally play in the Mecca of Basketball, Yao flashed a wide grin before motioning to his translator, Colin Pine.
“If Colin treats me to a pizza, I’ll be even more excited,” Yao said in Mandarin before adding in English, “New York pizza.”
But while Yao used his playful humor to describe the anticipation, his teammates know tonight means a lot to him.
“It’s going to be amazing. Everything’s been great for him, but I think [tonight] will probably be by far the best for Yao, playing in New York and the Garden,” Rockets guard Moochie Norris said. “I know he can’t wait to get there.”
“It’s going to be big-time for him because the Garden is legendary,” former Knick Glen Rice said. “I’m sure Yao has heard many stories about the Garden and New York has one of the biggest [media contingents]. But he’ll just go out there and do his thing.”
Last night, Boston’s defense held Yao to nine points on just two field goal attempts (he hit both, a baby hook and a short layup). But he brought out legions of fans, many of whom brought hand-made signs (although the best one came from a Celtic fan, who, referring to Boston star Paul Pierce’s nickname, wrote, “Yao want the Truth? Yao can’t handle the Truth!”)
New York is just as excited. Who isn’t these days? Indeed, Yao is a global phenomenon – a force in the paint, an emerging star in the marketplace and a celebrity nearly everywhere else.
Get with the times, folks – Yao is now.
“I’m pretty used to it,” Yao said of his newfound status. “The cost of enjoying the season has been very tiring. Every game there’s a new challenge and facing up against every different player presents new problems.”
But it’s the way Yao has handled those challenges that has landed him squarely in America’s heart. On the court, he’s exhibited stunning improvement. Off it, he’s endeared himself to a nation.
“He’s like the big brother I always wish I had,” Norris said.
“He’s so easy to smile, it just warms you up,” his coach, Rudy Tomjanovich, said. “You get a good feeling being around the guy.”
“He was a really nice kid,” Yogi Berra, who shot the popular VISA commercial with Yao, remembered. “I asked him, ‘Did you ever play baseball before?’ He said he went to the batting cage and couldn’t hit. He thought it was too hard, so he stuck to basketball.”
Smart move. Already, the 22-year-old is one of the league’s favorite sons. He blasted Shaquille O’Neal out of the All-Star lineup and has inspired a cult song, a bobblehead doll and a celebrity duck.
He’s on your TV, too. There he is, pitching Apple computers. And VISA cards. And soon enough, Gatorade. Add in the 100 media members who cover it when he ties his shoes and you see what we’re dealing with.
“He’s an ambassador between the U.S. and China,” Hu Bing, manager for The China Press, gushed. “He can do more than anyone.”
How’s that for pressure?
“Nobody’s had to go through what this guy’s had to go through,” Tomjanovich said.
So as the reporters and cameramen swarmed last night, Hu saw fit to put the scene in perspective.
“Welcome,” he announced, “to Yao Ming!”
And welcome, Yao Ming, to New York.
THE MING FILE
BIRTHDATE: Sept. 12, 1980
AGE: 22
HEIGHT: 7-6
WEIGHT: 296 pounds
WINGSPAN: 90 inches
SHOE SIZE: 18
HAILS FROM: Shanghai, China
SALARY: Three-year deal $12.3 million
FAVORITE DRINK: Iced Starbucks Frappuccinos
Rockets big man Yao Ming makes his first trip to the Garden tomorrow. A look at how Yao ranks among centers in his maiden NBA season:
ASSISTS
1. Tim Duncan 3.9
2. Vlade Divac 3.7
3. Cliff Robinson 3.1
4. Dirk Nowitzki 2.8
5. Brad Miller 2.6
10. Yao Ming 1.7
SCORING
1. Shaquille O’Neal 25.9
2. Dirk Nowitzki 23.6
3. Tim Duncan 23.4
4. Jermaine O’Neal 19.7
5. Zydrunas Ilgauskas 17.6
8. Yao Ming 13.5
REBOUNDS
1. Ben Wallace 14.6
2. Tim Duncan 12.7
3. Brian Grant 10.6
4. Jermaine O’Neal 10.5
5. Dirk Nowitzki 9.9
9. Yao Ming 8.3
FIELD GOAL PCT.
1. Shaquille O’Neal .559
2. Yao Ming .518
3. Radoslav Nestorvic .513
4. Brad Miller .511
5. Brian Grant .502
BLOCKS
1. Ben Wallace 3.00
2. Theo Ratliff 2.93
3. Tim Duncan 2.91
4. Shawn Bradley 2.55
5. Adonal Foyle 2.38
T11. Yao Ming 1.91
DOUBLE-DOUBLES
1. Tim Duncan 39
2. Jermaine O’Neal 29
3. Dirk Nowitzki 27
4. Shaquille O’Neal 25
T5. Yao Ming 20