Yao Ming: Hall of Fame or Bust?
Yao Ming
Contrary to recent reports, Yao Ming will be ready for the beginning of training camp, at least according to Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey.
Morey spoke the day after Yao suggested in an interview with a Chinese newspaper that he would retire if his surgically-repaired foot doesn’t properly heal.
“Yao is on schedule to be available the first day of training camp,” Morey told the Houston Chronicle. “He’s continued to make positive strides in his rehab work and all medical reports so far have been positive.”
For the record, Yao is taking part in on-court drills, and last month he said his foot felt “OK.”
Obviously we’re hoping Yao recovers and can play at his peak, but what if that never happens? If Yao has played his last NBA game — or has seen his last quality NBA season — how does he go down in history?
With seven good seasons in the books, his career averages are 19.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. He’s made five All-NBA teams, seven All-Star Games, and ranks 20th all-time in Player Efficiency Rating (take it for what you will) and 21st all-time in True Shooting Percentage. On the other hand, he only led Houston out of the first round of the playoffs once, and may be more known for injuries and hype than his production on the court.
At this point, would Yao go down as a bust of a No. 1 overall pick? Did he live up to expectations? Is he a candidate for the Hall of Fame due to his role in expanding the game into China?
How would you rate Yao’s career so far?
July 28th, 2010 at 11:57 am
Joe says:
bust? are you f’in joking?
Dime is a bust.
July 28th, 2010 at 11:59 am
Brown says:
I’d rate it incomplete. If he retires next year, it seems like he’s only played half the games he was supposed to. I’ll remember Yao more for the injuries that prevented us from seeing what he was truly capable of.
I wouldn’t call him a bust because he was a good player when healthy, but he hasn’t played enough or made that much of an impact in the NBA to garner HOF consideration.
Be brought a lot of Asian fans to the NBA, but that shouldn’t be criteria for making the HOF either.
July 28th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
stupid says:
Not really a bust nor a HOF’er statistically..just a solid pro. But his influence in helping make the NBA a global brand is really big, so that could help his case for the HOF.
July 28th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
LB says:
Well, Bill Walton is in the Hall, so Yao definitely has a chance even if his career ended right now. Even if Yao retires today, he should still be in the Hall for being the first Asian born player to make an impact in the League. But if Yao is able to win a title, like Walton did, then Yao will be in the Hall for sure.
July 28th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
hahns says:
i think he should be put in the HOF given that the HOF reflects more than talent/skill- its a reflection on a players impact on the game right?
if thats true, then no question, yao is a HOF’er. He changed the game in the states and changed the game internationally. it was as if the 8th wonder of the world decided to grace the nba and play on its courts. and not only that, he was GOOD.
July 28th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Heckler says:
“yoooo”. “Yao”. “YO!”. “Yao”. “Yo!”. “Yaaaaoo”.
…”you take check?”….
July 28th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
control says:
When people talk about some international people making the HOF (Manu) they talk about influence on the international game, etc. Yao has had A LOT of impact on the sport internationally, opening the door to Asian markets like he’s the Silk Road. That has to count for something…just don’t know if it counts enough to make the HOF. If Asian gets any vote, he will be in though.
Based on his NBA career alone, he probably doesn’t make it.
July 28th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Shot In Your Face says:
If poster 5 is right and a reflection on a players impact on the game, then no doubt Yao should be a HOF.
As a straight up player, he’s definitely NOT a HOF and nowhere close to being a bust. How could the arguably best center for 2-3 years be considered a bust?
If he quit today I’d mark him IMCOMPLETE
July 28th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
JAY says:
IMO, Yao gets in the HOF easy. His impact on the game Asia, not just China, is just too huge to ignore. Too bad the Chinese government feels like they own him.
July 28th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Bruce says:
No, he didn’t do anything special (well he still got time).
No Rings!
Dikembe before Yao!
July 28th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
chris says:
He should be in the hall because
1. (as everybody mentioned) he had a huge impact on the global game.
2. for a brief period of time, he was the best player at his position in the entire world. for a while, he was taking it to an over-the-hill shaq and a before-his-prime howard.
3. he’s an all-around good guy. great role model, great teammate, great humanitarian.
that should be enough.
July 28th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
SWAT says:
i think u guys pretty much said it all. dude was a solid pro and raised his stats every year-up until recently. and the dude showed heart, when he went down against the lakers in the playoffs and came bk to help us finish out the game, tht was amazing to watch. i think from the chinese report to us, something was lost in translation. he told the rox he’s ready for this season, i think he was meaning if he gets hurt again and it’s the same foot with the same issues he’s going to retire. Still, the impact he made in the league is at least worth a nod in the HOF.
July 28th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
fiyaman says:
@How could the arguably best center for 2-3 years be considered a bust?
When your expected to be the best center for 8-10yrs
July 28th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
bobby stew says:
If Grant Hill and Penny aren’t in the HOF then neither should Yao. All great talents but injuries killed their HOF chances
July 28th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
adam ivy says:
what he did for the nba (globally) is far more of an impact then what he has done for houston (or in the states) incomplete though… no to hall of fame if this is it… bust? no not even close to a bust, he has been the best center the last few years (yea he owns d howard in the head to head match ups), but health is key and he hasnt proved that he can stay up right
July 28th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
LMNOP says:
he is a HOF’er based purely on his global impact on the game.
its unfortunate that on the court his career will never be what it could have been, and his best years in houston were probably wasted by him being pared with a broken t-mac, but can anyone name a no.1 pick in the last ten years (exept that guy in miami) who has helped his franchise as much as Yao. An injured Yao is woth more to a team financially than all but 2 or 3 players.
plus the HOF isnt just built for guys who dropped 30 a game in the NBA for 10 years. The amount of love they show for crappy guys who were great in college, it would be a piss take if Yao didnt get in.
July 28th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
AZ says:
AB your a bust for considering yao a bust. Not a first ballot but i could see somewhere down the road, maybe 20+ years he’ll be a HOF.
July 28th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
control says:
Situations in which Yao will get into the HOF assuming his career ends today:
1) China gets an NBA franchise.
2) Chinese (or Asian) players start regularly making NBA teams, with the same frequency Europeans do.
3) China becomes a major world power in the sport of basketball, possibly with their own league rivaling the NBA in terms of skill.
It’s kind of sad that Yao (if his career ends today) will be known more for his off court stuff than his on court stuff.
July 28th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
zaboo says:
Would it be safe to compare him to Sabonis? Both great players but neither made the impact they could’ve made on the NBA for various reasons. Sabonis played around 10yrs of pro ball before coming to NBA so he arrived as a player at the end of his career. Yao played constant basketball for his Chinese team and the nba without resting and became injury prone. As far as Yao’s production on the court for the NBA, he doesnt get in the HOF. They might sneak him in for what he brought off the court as far as exposure and a bigger market.
July 28th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
BeEqual says:
def not a bust, but def not HOF caliber either. and its not even that he’s not capable of it, he just hasn’t had the best string of luck to support the claim.
July 28th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
POPPI GEE says:
Career is ok but I would say a bust. Houston should have traded dude a long time ago, seeing as he can’t give you consistency health wise and he doesn’t have the demeanor to take the squad to the next level.
July 28th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
chris says:
@the guy saying bust
Who expected him to dominate the center position for 8-10 years? I remember when he was first drafted Barkley promising he’d never even score 20 points in a game.
Yao took the criticism, worked hard, and proved everybody wrong. I remember him absolutely destroying Shaq when Yao was in his prime.
July 28th, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Stunnaboy09 says:
For a guy who was 7′6 he sure played like a tissue. I mean Manute Bole got 5 blocks a game ad he was a string bean 1 inch taller than Yao.
I don’t think Yao deserves HOF in basketball skill/stat alone, but factor in global impact and maybe he sneaks in. Maybe.
July 28th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Robb says:
Yeaah, wouldnt say Yao was a bust, i could name like 30 No. 1 draft picks he has easily surpassed.. The doubt against him, obviously, comes with all the injuries… I think Yao will go down as one of those “OMG, imagine if…” stories. He has been very good, but it will be continuously speculated how good he would have been. Without the injuries, He could have been Top 5 all time. His amazing offensive skill with the 7″6 height and build, would have done ridiculous things if not for the injuries… like i said, one of the great ‘what if’s?’…
July 28th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Ian says:
hey dime how the hell can the best center in the league since 05 be a bust?? or at least second best if u like howard more.
hofer maybe
bust hell no
July 28th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
yao says:
HALL OF FAME 4 show !!!!!!!!!! u have to take in to acounts that he is 7.6 he is the best player who has played in the nba over 7.3 25ppg 11 rpg 2 bpg that shit don’t lie while shooting 55% from the field
July 28th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
SWAT says:
@ gee…im hurt fam. u really think YAO is a bust?!? cmon-who are you-is this somebody pretending to be gee? i refuse to believe that a fellow rox fan can say yao belongs in the same books as kwame brown? or olowakandi? or even sam bowie-these are all busts and u think YAO belongs in the same category?
July 28th, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Promoman says:
Yao can’t be considered a bust. He had to deal with Steve Francis & Cuttino Mobley dumbasses playing 2 on 5 every night. The instant they got traded, Yao’s game grew exponentially. He also proved that he could play alongside elite talent when Tracy McGrady wasn’t snakebitten. I blame the Rockets for playing him & McGrady when they knew full well that both were injured.
July 28th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
Steve Nash says:
Dikembe Mutumbo
July 28th, 2010 at 7:18 pm
bostonfan says:
best center over 7,2 he is a hall of famer 4 show was owning the league for a long time. And led houston to the playoffs against the lakers. when tracy was gone they were the only team in the playoffs who has taken the lakers to 7 games in fact the only ones in two years.
http://www.nba.com/playerfile/yao_ming/career_stats.html
check it out 25 point 11 rebs 2.0 blocks and 55 fg%
July 28th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
YaoFan says:
POPPI GEE says:
Career is ok but I would say a bust. Houston should have traded dude a long time ago, seeing as he can’t give you consistency health wise and he doesn’t have the demeanor to take the squad to the next level.
———————————
Cant argue about health, but since when did demeanor take a squad to the next level? so by that reasoning the “tough guys” should have delivered dozens of chips? how many does sheed have? how does barkley have? how many does the ‘the glove’ have? how many does AI have?
And I don’t understand why the choices are HOF or bust. I am a huge fan but I don’t think he is neither HOF nor bust. How about just a solid pro at this point. And hold the obituary… he is not finished yet.