Kids Interview Yao

Pretty good Yao Interview in SI for Kids.



Copyright 2003 Time Inc.
Sports Illustrated For Kids

May, 2003

SECTION: BIG SHOT; Pg. 25

LENGTH: 1994 words

HEADLINE: Yo, Yao!;
Seven kids interviewed Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets. In a word, they discovered, Yao's cool

BYLINE: Yao Ming

BODY:


Yao Ming has been the global sensation of the NBA this season. The
7' 5" rookie center has mind-boggling skills and a smile that
lights up any gym. He has surpassed the expectations of his
coaches and fans, and even his own. He was averaging 13.9 points
and 8.2 rebounds per game as of March 7.

Yao can pass as smoothly as a guard, has a shooter's touch, and
can finish easily in the lane (52 percent shooting). He and
forward Amare Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns are in a tight race
for the 2002-03 NBA Rookie of the Year Award.

While Yao's play on the court continues to improve, "Yao Mania"
is sweeping the world. His mug seems to be everywhere, from TV
commercials to magazine covers. With Yao on the court, Houston's
home attendance is up more than 2,000 fans per game from last
season.

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED FOR KIDS gathered seven kids from the Boys &
Girls Club, in Houston, Texas, to interview Yao at the Rocket
practice gym on March 1. Yao is learning English, but he answered
the questions in Mandarin, his native language. His interpreter,
Colin Pine, translated the questions and answers back and forth.

Yao prefers to express himself by playing basketball. But when he
does speak, it's easy to see why he is so popular with teammates
and fans. He's a laid-back guy with a deep, confident voice; a
quick smile; and a sharp sense of humor.

Lights, Cameras, Yao

Q. What has been the hardest adjustment to playing in the NBA?

A. Facing the media. Those guys are hard. I thought there would
be a lot of media, but I never thought there would be this many.
I wouldn't say I'm sick of the media. But it does annoy me.

Q. Why are you getting so much attention?

A. Because I look different. I look strange.

Q. Are you as swamped by the media in China as you are here?

A. It is less in China. There are about a billion people in
China, and only two Chinese reporters came [to our practice
today]. No, it would be just as bad in China.

Welcome to the Big Time

Q. How did it feel to be the Number 1 pick in the NBA draft?

A. Everything came together that day in my life. My life changed
--new pressures, playing in a new country, a new league.

Q. You were named an NBA All-Star. Do you think you deserved it?

A. No ... but I would like to thank the fans for voting for me.
If you voted for me, thank you.

Q. Sometimes I see you on TV cracking up teammates. What are you
saying?

A. I'm just joking around. Sometimes there is a lot of pressure
on the court, I like to joke around to make everyone more relaxed.

Q. So what might you say?

A. Sometimes I compare [teammate] Moochie Norris to a mouse.

Q. How do you communicate with your teammates?

A. I speak English. Would you prefer them to speak Chinese?

Q. Has it been hard learning English?

A. [Smiling] What do you think?

Q. Are there times on the court when you wanted to say something
to a teammate but you didn't know the words?

A. Yes. Sometimes I would like to tell my teammates how we should
do something together or how a play might work. So, I [point at a
board] and Coach draws it out.

Q. What is your favorite move to do on the basketball court?

A. I like to shoot the ball and have it go in. I don't like to
shoot and not have it go in.

Q. Do you like to shoot more than you like to block a shot?

A. I like them equal. I like everything except turnovers.

Home and Away

Q. What is the biggest difference between playing basketball here
and playing basketball in China?

A. We speak English here. They speak Chinese in China.

Q. Are there outdoor basketball courts for kids to play on in
China?

A. In my home, in Shanghai, there are many places where you can
go and shoot around. I think more and more Chinese kids are
playing basketball. But I don't think it is all because of me. I
think there are a lot of good basketball players in China that
kids look up to.

Q. What do you eat during a typical day?

A. I eat rice, meat, and vegetables. But today I am eating a Double Whopper.

Q. What have been the hardest and the easiest parts about living
in the United States?

A. The easiest thing is sleeping. The hardest thing is leaving
the house. As soon as I leave the house, there are things to do.

Q. What do you do to relax?

A. I like to play video games. I like to fish. But the fish don't
pay attention to me.

Tall Tales

Q. Was it hard being tall when you were growing up?

A. No. When I was small, I didn't think I was that tall. But every
year I would grow a little more than other people my age. So in
the end, it all added up.

Q. When you were 11 or 12 years old, how tall were you?

A. I don't know the conversion, but I was about as tall as
Moochie Norris [6' 2" guard on the Rockets].

Q. How old were you when you were first able to dunk?

A. Fifteen years old. You have to know, my jumping ability is
lacking.

Q. In China, were you always the tallest person wherever you
went?

A. I was always the tallest in class. I always had to sit in the
back row.

Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being really tall?

A. In China, if you are under a certain height you don't have to
buy tickets for trains. I had to buy tickets at a younger age
than a lot of people. What advantages? Let me think. The air is
fresher up here.

A Strong Foundation

Q. You have the skills of a smaller player. How did you develop
them?

A. When I first started playing basketball, everybody was bigger
than me.

Q. How did you learn to pass so well?

A. I watched a lot of good centers to see how they handled the ball. Vlade Divac [of the Sacramento Kings] is an excellent passer. I
used to watch his games on videotapes.

Q. Who are some of the NBA players you really admire?

A. There are a lot of great players, especially Michael Jordan
and [retired centers such as] Hakeem Olajuwon and Patrick Ewing.

Q. What are your mom and dad like?

A. My parents have a lot to do with why I am good at basketball.
They are both athletes, basketball players. But they never told
me I had to play. They told me to do what I wanted to do.

Q. You went away to basketball school when you were young. What
was that like?

A. I was 14. But it wasn't just a basketball school. It was a school
for athletes. The experience felt like I was starting out
on my own for the first time.

Now and Later

Q. When the NBA season ends, what will you do?

A. First, I would like to rest for two or three weeks. Then I
have to play about 20 games this summer for the Chinese national
team. But it is okay, because not all of the national games are
as intense as the NBA. Maybe I can come off the bench for the
national team. I'm joking, by the way.

Q. What parts of your game would you still like to improve?

A. I want to get stronger by lifting in the weight room. Every time
I lift, I lift for about an hour.

Q. How much can you bench-press?

A. I don't know exactly, but I don't think you could do it.

Q. This season has been huge for you. Is there any way to top it?

A. I didn't think I would play this well. But I just have to keep
playing and get better.

Q. With all the interviews you have done, is there something
people don't know about you yet?

A. I think I have been asked so many questions, everybody knows
everything.

Q. What do you think people think of you?

A. I don't know what people think. Whatever they think is what I
am.

BOX STORY:

YAO'S FAVORITE STUFF

Sport (other than basketball)
Swimming

Athlete I Most Admired When I Was a Kid
Center Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets

Video Game
Counter-Strike (PC)

Movie
Star Wars

Food
Shanghai-style Chicken Soup

Vacation Spot
Guilin, China

Pre-game Meal
Steamed dumplings (with soup inside)

Animal
Wolfhound

Dessert
Chocolate ice cream

Favorite Birthday Present
I haven't gotten it yet!

Car
Mercedes-Benz

BOX STORY:

Yao's Stats

Chinese Basketball Association

Points FG FT
Season G Ttl Avg Pct. Pct. RPG APG

1997-98 21 210 10.0 .615 .485 8.3 0.6

1998-99 12 251 20.9 .585 .699 12.9 0.6

1999-00 33 69921.2.585.68314.51.7

2000-01 22 596 27.1 .678 .799 19.4 2.2

2001-02 34 1,102 32.4 .721 .759 19.0 2.9

Totals 122 2,871 23.4 .651 .723 15.4 1.8

Houston Rockets

Points FG FT
Season G Ttl Avg. Pct. Pct. RPG APG BPG

2002-03 61 848 13.9 .520 .801 8.2 1.7 1.79

As of March 7, 2003 G: Games; Ttl: Total; Avg: Average; FG
Pct.: Field-goal Percentage; FT Pct.: Free-throw Percentage; RPG:
Rebounds Per Game; APG: Assists Per Game; BPG: Blocks Per
Game

BOX STORY:

About Yao

HEIGHT: 7'5"
WEIGHT: 296 lbs.
BIRTH DATE: September 12, 1980
BIRTHPLACE: Shanghai, China

At the 2002 NBA draft, Yao became the first Number 1 pick chosen
from an international basketball league. He is the third player
from China to compete in the NBA.

Yao led the Shanghai Sharks to their first China Basketball
Association title in 2001-02. He scored 44 points (21 of 21 from
the field) in the 123--121 championship-clinching win over the
Bayi Rockets.

On February 9, Yao became only the sixth rookie center in NBA
history to start in the All-Star Game.

Yao's 6'7" father, Yao Zhi Yuan, played for the Chinese men's
national basketball team. His 6'3" mother, Fang Feng Di, played
for the women's team.



THE WORD ON YAO

Shaquille O'Neal
center, Los Angeles Lakers

"Yao plays his size. He bumps, bangs, and dunks. He doesn't say
much, doesn't make faces, just goes out and plays. He's going to
be a good one."

Steve Francis
guard, Houston Rockets

"To me, it seems like Yao has been in America for 20 years. He
can relate to anybody about anything. He's taught me things, too.
I asked him how he deals with the pounding from the media, [and]
he told me he just stays patient. If I had to deal with the media
like he does, I don't know how many times I would say: 'I'll talk
to you another day.'

"On the court, we try to pump him up, get him to be more
aggressive. In a game in Atlanta this season, he was getting
hammered by fouls. So he dunked hard and let out a shout. I don't
care whether his shots go in or not --Yao always competes."

Dirk Nowitzki
forward, Dallas Mavericks

"Yao isn't like most big men, who basically stay in one place.
He's all over the court. The best thing is his shooting touch.
He's got a soft jump hook, and his 15-to-16-foot jumper . . .
it's money. Once he gets adjusted to the NBA and the lifestyle in
America, he's going to be awesome."

Tracy McGrady
guard/forward, Orlando Magic

"He's a smart basketball player. You see that right away. It's
not just his moves, it's that he knows where to go when he's
double-teamed. To be honest, I don't think they give him the ball
enough right now. I wish I had a guy like that --a guy inside who
can open things up outside. He deserved to be an All-Star. He'll
be there every year, for a long, long time."