The Yao Ming Lament

If you're feeling masochistic and if you haven't heard it already, 1560TheGame.com laments and you can listen.

In the last post, commenter "MayaJones" made a good point about Yao's status in the NBA:

Yao is on loan to the NBA from China and its time the Rockets' organization cut its losses now because Yao's frame cannot take 12 months of basketball. The NBA's schedule is long and demanding, which is why the end in early June and start back up in late October. The body needs rest and China will never allow Yao to rest. Either the Rockets set up provisions to allow Yao to play only 2/3rds of the season, preferably the last part since it leads to the playoffs or let Yao go back to China where his loyalty lies.

While I don't necessarily agree with her resolution, the fact remains that Yao's first loyalty is China and very few players can handle playing as much as he does, and none of them are 7-6, 300+ lbs.

Even though its been suggested that Yao may be ready to play in the Beijing Olympics this summer after surgery, Stephanie Stradley at AOL Sports suggests with support from what I'll take her word to be medical experts that he should not. It's not a question that he will. Even if it leads him down the same path as Spain's Jorge Garbajosa, he will play. He's spent almost his entire life preparing for this. It's like being the first in your entire family to go to college, earning valedictorian and missing the graduation ceremony. Except substitute family with nation.

Originally posted at Yao Central on February 29, 2008 09:46 AM