姚明獨一無二配得上名人堂

姚明獨一無二的，但他確實配得上名人堂？
有效發揮和短暫的職業生涯，姚明的組合是其中的一種。凱文 - 佩爾頓反映了簡短，但名人堂報道霍爾應征者的偉大，在球場上的發揮。

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“我認為這是我有生以來感覺最小的，”7尺，275磅的洛佩斯說。 “漲了跳球，然後我做我的第一個鉤子，他這麽容易封鎖。這是像什麽給他。這是真的一個獨特的經驗。我不能把它比作其他任何東西。”

洛佩茲一樣，我也比不上姚明我第一次記憶猶新，因為他是我以前從未見過。而正是因為他的巨大的7-6，體重310磅的框架沒有。

是什麽把我嚇倒了是看到別人的眼睛，膚色和頭發像我一樣，不僅在NBA打球，但他抱著自己的。

作為泰國的美國提出了華盛頓之外，我在籃球的黃金時期成長起來的NBA超級粉絲。我看著邁克爾 - 喬丹，拉裏 - 伯德和魔術師約翰遜和時代與NBA愛上很多人一樣。

而且即使我是一個亞裔美國人，它從來沒有跟我的關係沒有了亞洲歡呼或觀看在NBA。那是，直到姚明在2002年到來。

就像數以百萬計的美國和中國，我看到姚明麵對奧尼爾首次1月17日，2003年眼看姚明站在沙克比更高，實際的NBA最實際統治力的球員一個塊的第一個三槍曾經是我永遠不會忘記。

姚<WBR>明<WBR>懸掛<WBR>在<WBR>代<WBR>的<WBR>亞洲<WBR> NBA <WBR> fansTracy麥蒂和姚明取得了休斯敦一個強大的1-2一拳。納撒尼爾·巴特勒/ NBAE / Getty圖像
打破陳規
我永遠不會知道它是什麽樣是身高超過5-8，所以我不能涉及到是??什麽感覺是姚明。他出生在中國，我在這裏，在美國出生的。但對於第一次，我覺得有一個最終的NBA球員誰是同一種族 - 就像我和我的親戚 - 在一個精英競爭，全明星級別的。

當然，你可以說他使它因為他的大小。還有其他7-6中心，但沒有誰是八次入選全明星，並五次入選NBA最佳陣容（第二隊兩次，第三隊三次）選擇與技能所產生的25分每場比賽平均10.8籃板和2.0塊。

說實話，姚明之前，它從來沒有跟我的關係是否有在NBA的亞洲人。現在，姚明進入名人堂，我知道他是一個全球大使都為遊戲和亞洲人。

事實上，姚明在中國籃球在全球的影響，特別是對球迷，是有據可查的。他對沙克第一次會議吸引了在中國報道的2億觀眾 - 比超級碗吸引。你今天看到超級巨星往往與該國代言活動，並每年夏天做出去那裏。就在上個月，NBA官方公布了休斯頓火箭和新奧爾良鵜鶘將在中國下個賽季兩場季前賽麵臨關閉作為NBA的全球奧運會中國係列的一部分。第一場比賽將在上海舉行10月9日。後續發生10月12日在北京舉行。

“他們知道關於遊戲的一切，”洛佩茲，誰要麽與籃網或讚助商訪問中國多次說過。 “這是不可思議的。這絕對不是瘋了，說他們是更瘋狂的籃球比我們在這裏。這是驚人的。有這麽多不同的媒體出版物，所以很多人下了。他們確實喜歡這個遊戲。”


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發起種族敏感性
姚明進行了他寬闊的肩膀中國人民的全民族的希望和夢想。而在這裏他的衝擊力對亞裔美國人在美國可能沒有東西可以在利潤或電視收視率量化它仍然是有價值的。

這是第一次，有一個亞洲明星拿起第一順位在NBA選秀。甚至罕見的是姚明的亞洲在耐克，銳步，百事可樂，可口可樂，麥當勞，蘋果和Visa的廣告看到的事實。

作為一個在聚光燈下，他所帶來的不僅是亞洲人，但亞裔美國人增加的認識和敏感度對於所有其他文化，種族和背景。

還記得什麽時候輕鬆奧尼爾破解，“告訴姚明，'慶重陽華啊，所以'。”這一直是大多數亞洲人在某些時候聽到的進攻種族汙辱的類型，其住。盡管沙克是想開個玩笑，這增強一些非亞洲人如何似乎對什麽是對亞洲人的冒犯毫無章法。

前者湖人中心嘲諷中國語言和亞洲人並在這樣做，第一次道歉促使人們關注這個看似平常的種族麻木不仁。

史蒂夫·科爾，那麽TNT評論員，學到新的東西，還把認識到另一個曆史上長期不敏感東方人，當他有提到姚明的道歉“中國佬”。

“我為我的無知道歉，”科爾說，早在2004年。“我在想這個詞法國人和荷蘭人，我不知道它被用來作為以任何方式貶低的術語。我覺得很恐怖吧，和我道歉任何人誰是得罪了。“

還有熱火隊舉行了幸運餅幹之夜的時間 - 2002年為姚明的第一次去邁阿密沒關係，姚明從來沒有見過中國幸運餅 - 另一個亞洲刻板印象。

“如果你坐下來談談中國人，沒有人對別人是那個高個子說話，”穆托姆博，誰擁有了自己的職業生涯中粉碎非洲成見，在他得知姚明的到來，中國文化2003說。 “我覺得我自己，我一直在努力學習，問問題的人哪個中國的一部分，是他從。

“中國並不是每個人都短。這就像我們正在經曆的教育過程中，我們發現人越多，我們了解的文化，語言和他們的國家。我認為這更多的是一些姚明做我們所有的人，尤其是NBA球員。“

“你不能憑封麵或國籍來判斷一本書，你不能做一個毯子聲明，如”白人不能跳。“你永遠不可能用一個語句來描繪整場比賽。“

帕特裏克·尤因
除了無意中幫助教育許多誰沒有亞洲誣蔑敏感，姚明還鑿去的，今天仍然存在，一個林書豪有戰鬥的刻板印象 - 亞洲人是不合法的籃球運動員，並在不能使它運動的最高水平。

“姚明是驕傲的中國美國人的一個觀點，”布賴恩楊，中國的美國紀錄片的演員和製片人說，“林來瘋”。 “我記得[傑裏米]的第一年，我覺得大家都喜歡，”將這個家夥真的能掛？而當我們看到進步，我們很興奮，上竄下跳去，“是啊，這是正確的，孩子！”這就是為什麽亞裔美國人開始走出去，購買他的球衣。“

楊今年42歲，是一個籃球迷，同時在俄亥俄州和加利福尼亞長大誰長大了76人查爾斯·巴克利風扇。全國各地的，也有休閑亞裔美國籃球聯賽和楊應用於幾個與在一個點上運行的聯盟一起玩。

誰在任何級別打籃球，大多數亞洲人知道別人會自動想想他們是如何好，他們甚至推出了拍攝前。

“有這些少數民族聚居地的想找到一種方法[克服]，他們並沒有獲得在操場上撿到時，他們開始與非亞洲帥哥打球，”楊說。 “你真的不得不站出來，或注意到得到回升。這是比較容易玩[在亞洲聯賽]用誰也不會懷疑你，因為你的膚色的人，那恰好是人誰是像你差不多的身高和運動能力。“

雖然這是肯定地說沒有一個亞洲人在這些聯賽站在7-6，它們都可能涉及一些這樣或那樣姚明。

“我的爺爺奶奶，爸爸媽媽，他們都來自中國，”楊說。 “我覺得我是共鳴，通過姚明的生活。我想我可能涉及到這家夥正在經曆在裏麵，因為這是我的父母和祖父母經曆，當他們第一次來到這裏。我絕對感到自豪超越的事實，他是中國人“。

尤因說，姚明退役，2011年由於傷病的時候，“他比其他任何人更美。”尤因，誰與姚明仍然是朋友，說姚明熱愛美國文化，他通過他退休的時候來了一位他的保留殼。

一路上，他打破成見和??亞洲人的成見破滅。

“你不能判斷一本書的封麵或他的國籍，”尤因，誰了解和經驗豐富的種族偏見來自牙買加飛來，在喬治城打了約翰·湯普森說。 “你不能做一個毯子聲明，如”白人不能跳。“你永遠不可能用一個語句來描繪整場比賽。“

Yao unique, but was he truly HOF worthy?

Yao Ming's combination of effective play and a short career is one of a kind. Kevin Pelton reflects on the brief, but great, on-court play of the reported Hall of Fame inductee.

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"I think that was the smallest that I've ever felt," the 7-foot, 275-pound Lopez said. "Going up for the jump ball and then I do my first hook and he blocked it so easily. It was like nothing to him. It was really really a unique experience. I can't compare it to anything else."

Like Lopez, I couldn't compare my first vivid memory of Yao because he was something I had never seen before. And it wasn't because of his enormous 7-6, 310-pound frame.

What blew me away was seeing someone with eyes, skin tone and hair like mine not only playing in the NBA, but holding his own.

As a Thai-American raised outside Washington, D.C., I grew up a huge NBA fan in the golden era of basketball. I watched Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and fell in love with the NBA like so many others during that era.

And even though I am an Asian American, it never mattered to me there wasn't an Asian to cheer for or watch in the NBA. That was, until Yao arrived in 2002.

Like millions in the United States and China, I watched Yao face Shaquille O'Neal for the first time on Jan. 17, 2003. Seeing Yao stand taller than Shaq and actually block the first three shots by one of the NBA's most physically dominant players ever was something I'll never forget.

Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming made a formidable 1-2 punch in Houston. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images

Breaking stereotypes

I won't ever know what it is like to be taller than 5-8 so I can't relate to what it's like to be Yao. And he was born in China, I was born here in the States. But for the first time, I felt there was finally an NBA player who was of the same race -- like me and my relatives -- and competed at an elite, All-Star level.

Sure, you could say he made it because of his size. There have been other 7-6 centers but none who was an eight-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA (second team twice, third team three times) selection with skill that produced per-game averages of 25 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks.

Honestly, before Yao, it never mattered to me whether there were Asians in the NBA. Now, as Yao enters the Hall of Fame, I realize he was a global ambassador both for the game and for Asians.

Indeed, Yao's impact on basketball globally, specifically on fans in China, is well documented. His first meeting against Shaq drew a reported 200 million viewers in China -- more than the Super Bowl attracts. You see today how superstars often have endorsement deals with the country and make trips there every summer. Just last month, the NBA announced the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans will face off in two preseason games in China next season as part of the NBA's Global Games China series. The first game will be held Oct. 9 in Shanghai. The follow-up takes place Oct. 12 in Beijing.

"They know everything about the game," said Lopez, who has visited China several times already either with the Nets or sponsors. "It is incredible. It is definitely not crazy to say that they are even crazier about basketball than we are here. It is amazing. There are so many different media publications, so many people following it. They really do love the game."

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Initiated racial sensitivity

Yao carried the hopes and dreams of an entire nation of Chinese people on his broad shoulders. While his impact here on Asian Americans in the United States might not be something you can quantify in profits or television ratings it was nonetheless as valuable.

For the first time, there was an Asian star picked first overall in the NBA draft. Perhaps even rarer was the fact Yao was an Asian seen in Nike, Reebok, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Apple and Visa commercials.

Being in the spotlight, he brought an increased awareness and sensitivity about not just Asians but Asian Americans for all other cultures, ethnicities and backgrounds.

Remember when the light-hearted O'Neal cracked, "Tell Yao Ming, 'Ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-so.'" This has long been the type of offensive racial slur most Asians have heard at some point in their lives. While Shaq meant it as a joke, it reinforced how some non-Asians seemed clueless on what was offensive to Asians.

The former Lakers center apologized for mocking the Chinese language and Asians and in doing so, for the first time brought attention to this seemingly commonplace racial insensitivity.

Steve Kerr, then a TNT analyst, learned something new and brought awareness to another historically insensitive term to Asians when he had to apologize for referring to Yao as "Chinaman."

"I apologize for my ignorance," Kerr said back in 2004. "I was thinking of the term Frenchman and Dutchman, and I had no idea it was used as a demeaning term in any way. I feel terrible about it, and I apologize to anybody who was offended."

There was also the time the Miami Heat held a Fortune Cookie Night -- another Asian stereotype -- for Yao's first trip to Miami in 2002. Never mind that Yao had never seen a fortune cookie in China.

"If you sit down and talk about Chinese people, nobody talks about someone being that tall," Dikembe Mutombo, who has had to shatter African stereotypes during his career, said in 2003 of what he learned about Chinese culture from Yao's arrival. "I think myself, I have been trying to study and ask people questions about which part of China is he from.

"Not everybody in China is short. It is like an education process that we are going through, the more we discover people, the more we learn about the culture, the language and their countries. And I think that is something Yao Ming is doing to all of us, especially the NBA players."

"You can't judge a book by its cover or by his nationality. You can't make one blanket statement like 'white men can't jump.' You can never use one statement to depict a whole race."

Patrick Ewing

Besides unintentionally helping educate many who weren't sensitive to Asian slurs, Yao also chipped away at a stereotype that still exists today and one that Jeremy Lin has to battle -- that Asians aren't legitimate basketball players and can't make it at the highest level of the sport.

"Yao was a point of pride for Chinese Americans," said Brian Yang, a Chinese-American actor and producer of the documentary "Linsanity." "I remember [Jeremy]'s first year, I think we were all like, 'will this guy really be able to hang?' And when we saw improvement, we got excited, jumping up and down and going, 'Yeah, that's right, boy!' That's why Asian Americans started going out and buying his jersey."

Yang, 42, is a hoops junkie who grew up a Sixers and Charles Barkley fan while growing up in Ohio and California. Around the country, there are recreational Asian American basketball leagues and Yang used to play in several along with running a league at one point.

Most Asians who play basketball at any level know what others automatically might think about how good they are before they even launch a shot.

"There are all these ethnic enclaves that wanted to find a way [to overcome] where they weren't getting picked on the playground when they started playing with the non-Asian dudes," Yang said. "You really would have to stand out or noticed to get picked. It was easier to play [in an Asian league] with people who wouldn't question you because of the color of your skin, and that just happens to be people who are like you with about the same height and athleticism."

While it's safe to say none of the Asians in these leagues stand 7-6, they all could relate some way or another to Yao.

 

"My grandparents, my parents, they all came from China," Yang said. "I felt like I was vicariously living through Yao. I thought I could relate to what this guy is going through on the inside because this is what my parents and grandparents went through when they first came here. I definitely felt pride beyond the fact that he was Chinese."

Ewing said that by the time Yao retired in 2011 due to injury, "he was more American than anybody else." Ewing, who remains friends with Yao, said Yao loves American culture and that he came a bit out of his reserved shell by the time he retired.

Along the way, he broke stereotypes and shattered preconceptions of Asians.

"You can't judge a book by its cover or by his nationality," said Ewing, who learned about and experienced racial stereotypes coming from Jamaica and playing for John Thompson at Georgetown. "You can't make one blanket statement like 'white men can't jump.' You can never use one statement to depict a whole race."