As we discussed in class, Yao Ming changed the face of the NBA when he made his debut in 2000. Before he entered the league, many saw the post-Jordan era as a less professional, and more “gangster” league. Most people viewed NBA players – specifically Allen Iverson, but also included others – as thugs, criminals, or gangsters (which is not an off-the-wall argument looking at the actions of many players in the league.)
The hip-hop fashions and bad attitudes of many players in the late 90’s – which can still be seen even in today’s game on occasion – helped spark the debate that the NBA was full of these so-called thugs and low-lives. Yao Ming brought in a wave of international talent. It seemed after he entered that it became acceptable for more international players to join the league as well including players such as: Andrew Bogut, Yi Jianlian, and Andrea Bargnani for example.
Shaq was the first to call out Yao shortly after his arrival saying “Tell Yao, Ching-chong, yang, wah-ah-so.” This sparked a lot of controversy, and rightly so. It can be argued that this was just “Shaq being Shaq” and that it was a big joke but I think that if this was the other way around and Yao called him out with a derogatory statement towards blacks, it would be a much bigger deal. In the end, it seems to me that Shaq felt threatened by Yao’s arrival to the NBA and has too much of an ego to not say something.
Yao Ming was the first well-known Asian to enter the NBA. This is mostly due to his lanky 7’5” frame and natural talent. Much hype followed Yao into the league but behind the hype was doubt. Despite his talent, many challenged this and saw him as a “soft” player. Essentially, being soft means that he wasn’t tough or strong enough to be a force in the NBA. Yao has proved the doubters wrong and showed that he can be a dominant player in the NBA as he has shown over the past few seasons – when he’s not injured – that he is a force to be reckoned with.
Since entering the league, Yao has become China’s biggest hero. Every game, millions of viewers in China tune in to watch the Houston Rockets, the team that Yao plays for. His celebrity was really shown at the 2008 Beijing Olympics where he was (besides Kobe Bryant) the games’ biggest star.
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I was really surprised to hear that Kobe was more popular in China than Yao Ming was. But obviously, Yao still means a lot to Asia, and China in particular. His marketability has been impressive, and I am sure it was a huge factor in wooing Yao to play in the NBA. I believe there was a Chinese player who played for Dallas in the 1970s, but as you said, he never attained the level of achievement that Yao did.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to hear that too. Especially after seeing the television ratings for the Houston Rockets skyrocket after Yao was drafted in 2000. Yao is the highest vote-getter in the All-Star game nearly every year - mainly from Asian voters - so that also makes it interesting to see why Kobe was viewed as the most popular player in Beijing.
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