Fists of Fury... The Dwayne Wade of Osaka

No joke. In Japan, Yuta Tabuse gets the '06 NBA Live cover... so he finished '05 in ABA Long Beach, but he did sign with the Clippers this year before camp...

Nothing But the Finest Homegrown Hops

In high school, there was this AAU coach who used to stand behind the basket while we did lay-up lines and assess our jumping ability in laconic utterances. After every attempt he would say, mutter really, "no hops... no hops... no hops..." in straight deadpan one after another. We were dunking then or at least slapping the glass real hard, so we'd ask ourselves, who the fuck had hops then? This kid. This kid has "hops."


Can somebody verify this for me? Did he really do this?

Houston-born Gerald Green, no. 18 in the draft (somehow), at last year's High School All-American Slam Dunk Contest. To my Train brothers, A and L, in Sugar Land, how did you miss this guy? Can you stop talking about Hightower and Willowridge and get on the ball?

Tell me that shit is regulation. That shit ain't regulation...

Sun's Surgery a Success... No, Not That One

Not Amare... though also a success... Press Release for Sun Ming Ming's recent surgery...

7’8 Basketball Player Sun Ming Ming has Successful Surgery to Remove a Tumor on His Pituitary Gland

NBA hopeful Sun Ming Ming, a 7-foot-8-inch center from China, underwent revolutionary surgery Monday, September 26 to correct a potentially fatal disorder at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.

(PRWEB) September 30, 2005 -- Dr. Hrayr Shahinian of the Skull Base Institute in Los Angeles performed surgery on Ming in which a tumor on Ming’s pituitary gland was removed. The tumor, which was discovered in June, was causing Ming’s pituitary gland to over produce the growth hormone and severely decrease his endurance and stamina levels.

Dr. Shahinian expects Ming to resume his basketball career after short recovery and is confident Ming’s strength, stamina and endurance levels will show dramatic improvements.

“Sun Ming Ming is well on his way to achieve his dreams and aspirations," Shahinian said. “Monday’s surgery was a monumental milestone for him and he will see dramatic, positive results once he begins his basketball workouts. It is a testament to many people that a young man from a very poor province in rural China can come to the United States and receive innovative surgery that is not available in many countries."

Dr. Shahinian has earned worldwide acclaim for developing the complicated procedure with minimal risk factors and a greatly reduced recovery time over more traditional approaches to brain surgery.

Ming’s surgery was subsidized by donations and fundraisers. Ming is not currently with an NBA team and has no medical insurance.

“This surgery could not have been performed without the donations and efforts of many people in the United States, including Dr. Shahinian." said Ming’s agent, Charles Bonsignore of Passing Lane Sports. “I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Shahinian and his willingness to help."

Ming was released from the hospital on September 28th and is expected to return to the basketball court in three weeks.

“I want to thank everyone for caring about me and saving my life," Ming said. “I will always endeavor to give back to people and work hard to achieve my goals. I am excited to get back on the basketball court."

Fundraising is still ongoing to cover Ming’s medical costs. Checks can be sent directly to Sun Ming Ming at 9452 Telephone Road, #131, Ventura, CA 93004.

Bocce ball anyone?

Skip Joins the Rockets

Rockets finally get a playmaker at the point. Marriage made in heaven far as I'm concerned. A dream come true for him...

Skip's on a contender for once. With T-Mac, Yao, Stro and D.A., he's gonna have plenty of finishers and a lot of open looks. This is his chance once and for all to prove if he's legit. So, can he still knock 'em down? Miami showed that he could. If only he could forget Toronto.

Regardless, it should be fun to watch. Skip's always been the people's champ. And Paul Wall's just around the corner.

Raptors trade Alston to Rockets for James (10/3, AP)

Update on Sun Ming Ming

Maybe www.savesunmingming.com is kosher. That's too bad because I was hoping it was hoax--you know, that way he wouldn't have a goddamn tumor. Below is a press release issued Sept. 11th.

Fundraiser Launched To Get Life-Saving Surgery For Basketball Player Sun Ming Ming

7-foot-8 basketball player Sun Ming Ming has been diagnosed with a benign tumor on his pituitary gland and needs immediate surgery. Because Sun is not an NBA player and has no insurance, donations are needed so Ming can pay for the surgery.

(PRWEB) September 11, 2005 -- Sun Ming Ming is only 22-years-old and already is one of the tallest people in the world at 7 feet 8 inches tall. He came to the United States earlier this year to work out with professional basketball trainers in the hopes of one day making it into the NBA. He has even participated in private work-outs with several NBA teams, some of which later suggested medical testing due to their concerns over his lack of stamina and endurance.

Sun Ming Ming took their advice, and on June 26th, it was determined that he had a tumor pressed against his pituitary gland. The tumor was preventing proper production of testosterone, thus explaining the low stamina and endurance. It also was instigating prolongued over-production of growth hormone (GH), a condition known as "acromegaly" that causes various parts of the body to sustain abnormal and unstoppable growth. If left untreated, acromegaly often results in serious illness and premature death. Acromegaly can be treated via three methods: surgical removal of the tumor, drug therapy, and radiation therapy of the pituitary. The goals of treatment are to reduce GH production to normal levels, to relieve the pressure that the growing pituitary tumor exerts on the surrounding brain areas, to preserve normal pituitary function, and to reverse or ameliorate the symptoms of acromegaly. Doctors have determined that the best course of action in Sun Ming Ming's case is for immediate surgical removal of the tumor. Surgery has been tenatively scheduled scheduled for September 26th, to be performed by Dr. Hrayr Shahinian, director of the Skull Base Institute, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The surgery calls for Dr. Shahinian to use fiber-optics to reach the tumor through an incision in the nose and, with special tools, remove the tumor tissue. This procedure is called transsphenoidal surgery, and has already been postponed once due to lack of funds. Although there is a new date scheduled for the surgery, September 26th, it is only tentatively scheduled, and will be postponed again if Sun Ming Ming does not have enough funding to pay for it. The surgery, ten year follow-up treatments and therapy are estimated to cost over $100,000.

Charles Bonsignore and Passing Lane Sports, are reaching out to the community for assistance via grassroots and Internet campaigns. Mr. Bonsignore has been speaking to various groups around the country, and a website has been set up to raise awareness.

Those wishing to donate will be donating directly to Sun Ming Ming, and not through any third parties. Contributions are to be made out to Sun Ming Ming via check, direct deposit, or wire transfer, and sent to the El Monte branch of East West Bank in California at 9550 Flair Drive, El Monte, CA 91731. The bank is well aware of this fundraising campaign and will answer any inquiries. As per the bank's request, Sun's bank account number, #22116339, should be included on the backs of any checks.

More information can be found at www.savesunmingming.com and through his agent:

Charles A. Bonsignore
Passing Lane Sports
9452 Telephone Road, Suite 131
Ventura, CA 93004
805-647-0571 Office
805-435-1710 Fax

Fists of Fury: The World's Tallest Ballers... Still Asian

No update on Sun Ming Ming...

But the tallest baller in the world still plays in Asia. In the hills...

Myong Hun Ri (236 cm, 7' 7 1/2") from North Korea.

I would ask the Darwinists why thousands of years of height-minimizing Asian evolution seems to be backsliding but with Asians comprising roughly 60% of the world's population, you figure to find some tall ones... but we all know about the Red Communist genetic engineering experiments.

Some of them just managed to defect.

NBA Hurricane Relief Game in Houston

Kenny made the call... and the All-Stars responded. One Hurricane Relief Game in my hometown, Houston, Texas. Garnett, Kobe, Amare, J O'Neal, Melo, Lebron, his new teammate and Houston-native Damon Jones, and even (still missed) ex-Rockets Stevie Franchise and Cat Mobley, among others, all made it down to the Toyota Center for one benefit game for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. It was an All-Star Game in September.

And Stephon made it, too. How could you not invite him?

I couldn't make it. But word from the fam in Houston was that it was damn near inspiring. And I'll admit that took me by surprise. As someone who is always struggling to keep the game in perspective--basketball being just a game after all and somewhat trivial in the bigger picture--I sometimes forget just how uplifting it can be for some, especially for the many displaced residents of the Gulf Coast who found refuge in Houston, and until last night, had little to look forward to. Despite my initial skepticism, this NBA Players Hurricane Relief Game delivered.

Garnett finds a way to extend his reach.

Click on this pic for the zoom. This kid ain't even scared... acts like he's been up there before... with plans to be back.

Photos courtesy of NBA.com.

Save Sun Ming Ming

"Sun Ming Ming has a brain tumor. Will you help him get the surgery?"

-- www.savesunmingming.com

Sun Ming Ming is the 7' 8 3/4" center from China that appeared in an earlier post (Rise in Yeti Sightings.. 8/11/05). In the comments is a reference to the website above.

Fact or fiction? It ain't no Spanish Prisoner, but...

Fists of Fury: Kung Fu Dunking... No Wires

What??? In the question of whether white men can jump, most red, yellow and brown cats get left out the thought process... but Bruce Lee killed this shit. This ridiculousness wins any slam dunk contest I've seen since teeny-bopper Josh Smith flew in from Atlanta All Star Weekend.

And peep the Asian styles--that do. Chinatown style David Bowie gang banga circa 1980 slant-eyed off a whirly-bird, lift off...

Fists of Fury: Rise in Yeti Sightings in Northern China...

China's G.E. labs have released another one...







China's 7 foot 8 3/4, 360 pound Sun Ming Ming (June 15, 2005)
NBA Draft 2005 - Sun Ming Ming from China (June 09, 2005)
China's Rising Sun (May 9, 2005)

Chinatown's Summer 3 on 3

The annual Chinatown 3 on 3 summer basketball tournament played out in Columbus Park this past Saturday. Hosted by Chinatown Rockits AIA founder, the inimitable Denny Lee, this year's tournament was the biggest yet and best organized thanks to some corporate branding by HSBC, Sing Tao, and a new Energy Drink called Liquid Ice (among others) and taking full advantage of the newly renovated--and still being renovated--Columbus Park.

What's really impressive though is the growing talent in Chinatown. In the All-Star division in which I participated (briefly, still nursing the dislocated arm), almost every team had at least one Asian American that was currently or had played in college or overseas. Asian-American community-based squads from all over the boroughs, from the Asian Knights to the Cruisers to the Rockits to the As-Am all-star squad, Maximum Output, sported teams. It was... a competitive tournament.

For more on Denny and Rockits visit: www.asianhoops.com.

Still More Fists of Fury...The Asian Invasian

Tien has a lot to learn in Las Vegas
July 10, 2005 - by Chris Wang

Tien Lei, whose name listed as Garrett Tien in Sacramento Kings summer league team roster, got his first taste of American basketball when he only got one rebound in his first game wearing an NBA uniform. Tien played two minutes in a Kings' 71-60 win over the New Jersey Nets in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Obviously Tien spent most of the game sitting on the end of the bench to watch and learn. He had a DNP-CD in the first game, which Sacramento lost to Phoenix Suns 81-75.

Tien was measured at 204cm without shoes, about an inch taller than what he was listed (202cm) in Taiwan. Playing mostly at power forward and center in Taiwan, Tien has to learn to transform himself as a shooting guard or small forward in America.

Sacramento has three games left (Bulls, Clippers and Mavericks) in the Vegas Summer League.

There are a [few] Asian players in the Vegas Summer League. 5-11 guard Shuji Takei from Waseda University plays for THE TICKET. Bang Sung Yoon, a 6-5 shooter from South Korea who spent last season in the NBDL, plays for Dallas Mavericks. 6-11 Menk Bateer from China plays for the Chicago Bulls. Jun Iwasa from Japan plays for P. MILLER team.

More Fists of Fury: Taiwanese Nats Get a Stint in SoCal

Taiwan NT 2-0 in SoCal Summer Pro League
July 10, 2005 - by Chris Wang

Taiwan NT, which entered Southern California Summer Pro League as Frontline Sports, won both of their games and finished a month-long U.S. training tour in a high note.

Taiwan edged Senegal NT 87-85 on a winning shot by Yang Yu Min (183-G-79) with 3.5 seconds left on July 9th. Today Taiwan NT beat NBA Pro 110-104. The REAL Frontline Sports will take over the remaining schedule in the summer league, while Taiwan NT heads back to Taiwan to prepare for the upcoming Jones Cup.

Yang Yu Min (183-G-79), who struggled quite a bit in the first half of the 2004-05 SBL season, kept his hot-hand going by scoring 53 points in two games. Center Wu Dai-hao, guards Chou Shih-yuan and Lee Hsueh-lin also played very well.

Taiwan NT finished a month-long training tour in Los Angeles, where they played with local college teams and mix-up teams before entering SoCal Summer Pro League.

In the second-half of the year, Taiwan NT will compete in three events--Jones Cup in Taipei, East Asian games in Macao and Asian Championship in Qatar.

Hot dog! Kobayashi wins 5th straight crown
5-7 champ misses world record, eats 49 dogs; U.S. woman 2nd with 37
Associated Press

NEW YORK - For the fifth straight year, it was a victory Takeru Kobayashi could truly relish.

Kobayashi, 27, captured the Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest Monday, gobbling a nauseating 49 dogs in 12 minutes — but missing his own world record of 53, set at last year’s July Fourth competition.

The win means the coveted Mustard Yellow Belt will return to Japan for the ninth year out of the past 10. New Jersey’s Steve Keiner, who won in 1999, is the only American to capture the title in the past decade.

Kobayashi, of Nagano, stands 5 feet 7 inches and weighs just 144 pounds. ...read more.

Fists of Fury: The Next Chen Hsin An?

Tien Lei invited to Sacramento Kings summer league
July 3, 2005 - by Chris Wang

Two-time SBL regular season MVP Tien Lei (202-F-83) is among 17 players invited by the Sacramento Kings to participate in the 2005 Reebok Vegas Summer League (VSL) at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas. He is the second Taiwanese player invited to NBA summer league or pre-season training camp.

Chen Hsin-an was the first Taiwanese player to play in the NBA summer league or pre-season training camp when he played with the Kings in 2002 and the Nuggets in 2003. Both times he was cut.

The Kings' summer league team will play five games in 10 days and will be joining 13 other NBA teams that will field teams in the Vegas Summer League.