Yao amazed at Asi’s longevity

TOKYO – NBA legend Yao Ming asked about that big guy who played on the Philippine team at the 2011 FIBA Asia Championships in Wuhan and was surprised to find out 42-year-old Asi Taulava is still in the Gilas pool now getting ready for the Olympic qualifiers in Changsha on Sept. 23-Oct. 3.

Yao, 34, was in animated conversation about hoops with TV5 Sports head Chot Reyes and former Gilas skipper Jimmy Alapag during a break at the FIBA 2019 World Cup bidding event here last Friday. The fabled Houston Rockets center retired from basketball after the 2010-11 NBA season due to recurring injuries in his left foot. He underwent at least three surgeries in the foot which has screws implanted to strengthen the bone.

Yao was amazed at Taulava’s longevity and jokingly said maybe, he can come out of retirement to play at the coming FIBA Asia Championships, too. Alapag was on the 2011 squad that took fourth place behind China, Jordan and South Korea. Alapag’s teammates included naturalized player Marcus Douthit, Taulava, Chris Tiu, Mark Barroca, Mac Baracael, Japeth Aguilar, Kelly Williams and Jvee Casio. Jordan, coached by Tab Baldwin, lost to China by a point in the final. Baldwin is now the Gilas coach.

“I don’t mind countries getting imports as naturalized players,” said the 7-6 Yao. “But what I don’t agree with is imports flying in to play for a country then flying out. They don’t have a sense of identity with the country. I remember in Wuhan, your import (Douthit) had a hand on his chest during the playing of the national anthem. That’s good. But I also remember, imports of other countries with hands in their pockets while the national anthem was being played, like they didn’t care.”

Yao said he wouldn’t complain if China someday recruits a naturalized player. “But it would have to be a player who has lived many years in China, who is loved by Chinese fans and who has contributed to Chinese basketball,” he said. “An example is Stephon Marbury. The problem is he played on the US team at the 2004 Olympics and you can only play for one country in your FIBA career.”

Yao said there is a statue built for Marbury in Beijing after he led the city’s team to the Chinese Basketball Association title. “They don’t even have a statue for me,” he laughed. Asked if there’s a statue for him in Houston where he played eight years for the Rockets, Yao said, “no, that’s Hakeem’s town,” referring to Nigeria’s Hakeem Olajuwon who was a naturalized player on the US squad at the 1996 Olympics.

 Yao said of the five Chinese NBA veterans in history, only 6-10 Bateer Mengke has a championship ring to show with the 2002-03 San Antonio Spurs even as he wasn’t on the playoff roster. Bateer, now 39, saw action in 12 games for the Spurs during the regular season before the playoffs. The five Chinese NBA veterans are Yao, Bateer, Sun Yue, Wang Zhizhi and Yi Jianlian. Yao said Bateer will be honored in retirement ceremonies in Beijing today.

“In my career, I received only one championship ring and it got lost,” he related. “That was when I played with the Shanghai Sharks and we won the Chinese Basketball Association title in 2002. They gave me a championship ring in a box. It didn’t have my name because the rings were given out right after the last game. I gave it to somebody while I went to cut down the net from the ring. Later, I looked for the guy who had my ring and never found him. But I still have the net.”

Yao said basketball is evolving into less of a dominant big man’s showcase. “We saw in the recent NBA Finals, how the game is being dominated by guards and wings,” he said. “When you’ve got a dominant big guy, it’s easier to double team him than when you run multiple screens, guys penetrate and kick out. You’ve got a Steph Curry who hit 90 percent of his three-point shots from the corners in the Finals and you’ve got a Dwight Howard who’s struggling to shoot 50 percent from the line. I think Dwight’s a great defensive player and that’s the role I see for big guys. You’ll see a lot more big guys facing the basket than posting up, guys who are mobile and can hit from the outside.”

Yao shot 83.3 percent from the line in his NBA career and in his final season, hit 93.8 percent although in only five games. Yao said he couldn’t ever claim to be a reliable three-point shooter. That recognition belongs to Wang Zhizhi, he added.

Yao said the new FIBA World Cup format could pose problems. For the 2019 edition, the six qualifying tournaments will be in November 2017, February, June, September and November 2018 and February 2019. “November and February are months when the NBA and NCAA play their games,” he said. “So maybe, the US team will use D-League players for those months. For the other months, the US can use NBA players. It will be the same problem with the Chinese team because our league will also be in season in November and February.”