Carmelo Kiyan Anthony (born May 29, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets, of the National Basketball Association. He has also played with the United States national basketball team. As a freshman in college, Anthony led Syracuse University to a 30–5 record and the school's first NCAA championship in men's basketball in 2003.
He was named the Most Outstanding Player (MOP) of the 2003 NCAA Final Four and MVP of NCAA East Regional. He was also named the consensus national Freshman of the Year and was a unanimous choice as the Big East Conference Freshman of the Year. Anthony was selected as the third pick in the 2003 NBA Draft and named the 2005 Rookie Challenge MVP. Anthony was born in the Red Hook projects in Brooklyn, New York City.[2] His father, after whom he is named, died of cancer when Anthony was two years old.[3] When Anthony turned eight, his family moved to Baltimore, where he honed not only his athletic skills, but his survival skills. Kenny Minor, one of Anthony's childhood friends, said, "from drugs, to killings, to anything you can name that goes on in the roughest parts of town, we've seen and witnessed hands on. Those are the things that teach you toughness and keep you mentally focused on your goals." Sports would serve as an important diversion from the violence and drug dealing that were pervasive in the housing projects a few blocks from the homes of Anthony and his friends.Anthony commuted to Towson Catholic High School for his first three years of high school.[5] During the summer of 2000, when he grew five inches, he made a name for himself in the area, being named The Baltimore Sun's metro player of the year in 2001, as well as Baltimore Catholic League player of the year.[6] Anthony transferred to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia for his senior campaign. While at Oak Hill Academy, Anthony was named to the McDonald's All-American Team and won the Sprite Slam Jam dunk contest prior to the McDonald’s All-American game. He was also named a USA Today First-Team All-American and a Parade First-Team All-American.
Anthony played one season (2002-2003) at Syracuse University. He averaged 22.1 points (16th in the NCAA, 4th in the Big East) and 10.0 rebounds (19th in the NCAA, 3rd in the Big East, 1st among NCAA Division I freshmen). He helped guide the Orangemen to their first ever NCAA tournament title in 2003. He led the team in scoring, rebounding, minutes played (36.4 minutes per game), field goals made and free throws made and attempted.[8] Anthony's 33-point outburst against the University of Texas in the Final Four set an NCAA tournament record for most points by a freshman.[9]
In the championship game against the University of Kansas, Anthony had 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Anthony's NBA career began on June 26, 2003, when he was chosen in the first round (3rd overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft draft by the Denver Nuggets. He was selected behind LeBron James (1st overall, Cleveland Cavaliers) and Darko Miličić (2nd overall, Detroit Pistons).[15] He made his NBA regular season debut on October 29, 2003, in an 80-72 home win against the San Antonio Spurs.[16] Anthony finished the night with 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. In just his sixth career NBA game (November 7 versus the Los Angeles Clippers), Anthony scored 30 points, becoming the second youngest player in NBA history to score 30 points or more in a game (19 years, 151 days; Kobe Bryant was the youngest).[17] It was the fewest amount of games a Nuggets rookie took to score 30 points in a contest since the ABA-NBA merger. On February 9, 2004, against the Memphis Grizzlies, Anthony became the third-youngest player to reach the 1,000-point plateau in NBA history with a 20-point effort in an 86-83 win.On February 13, 2004, Anthony participated in the Got Milk? Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend.[1] In 30 minutes of playing time, Anthony scored 17 points, grabbed 3 rebounds and dished out 5 assists in a losing effort (142-118).[19] On March 30 of that year, he scored 41 points against the Seattle SuperSonics to set a new Denver Nuggets franchise mark for most points in a game by a rookie.[20] He also became the second-youngest player (19 years, 305 days) to score at least 40 points in a game in NBA history. After winning the Rookie of the Month award for the Western Conference in the month of April, Anthony became the fourth player in NBA history to capture all six of the Rookie of the Month awards in a season. Anthony was a major part in the turn around of the Denver Nuggets from league laughingstock to playoff contender. In the season before Anthony was drafted by the team, the Nuggets finished with a 17-65 record, which tied them for worst in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers. They finished the 2003-04 campaign with a 43-39 overall record, qualifying them as the eighth seed for the post-season. Anthony became the first NBA rookie to lead a playoff team in scoring since David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs during the 1989-90 season.[7] The Nuggets faced the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round. In Anthony's first career playoff game, he had 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, in a 106-92 loss at Minnesota. Anthony played and started in 80 games during the season. He averaged 26.5 ppg (8th, NBA), 2.7 apg, 4.9 rpg and 1.1 spg. His eighth place finish in NBA scoring was the highest finish by a Denver player since the 1990-91 season, when Nuggets guard Michael Adams finished the season sixth in NBA scoring. The Nuggets finished the season in third place, winning the Northwest Division for the first time in Anthony's career. Denver faced the sixth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. The Clippers held home court advantage in the series, due to ending the regular season with a better record (Denver finished 44-38; Los Angeles finished 47-35). The Clippers won the first two games of the series on their home floor.[37] The Nuggets split their games at home in Denver (winning game three; losing game four).[38] Denver then lost game five at Los Angeles, which eliminated the Nuggets from the playoffsOn December 16, Anthony was one of many players involved in the infamous Knicks-Nuggets brawl during a game at Madison Square Garden.[43] Footage showed Anthony laying a punch on the face of New York's Mardy Collins and subsequently backing away. As a result of his actions, Anthony was suspended for 15 games by NBA commissioner David Stern.[44] Shortly thereafter, the Nuggets traded for Allen Iverson in a bid to form a deadly combination with Anthony. The duo didn't get to play alongside one another until a home game against the Memphis Grizzlies on January 22, which was the day Anthony was allowed to return from his 15-game suspension.[45] Anthony finished the game with 28 points, as he and Iverson combined for 51 points. Anthony won Player of the Week honors three times during the season (November 20–November 26; November 27–December 3; and February 5–February 11), and received Player of the Month honors for April, after leading the Nuggets to a 10-1 record for the month and into sixth place in the final regular season standings of the Western Conference. Anthony finished the season as the league's second leading scorer behind Bryant, with an average of 28.9 ppg, while adding 6.0 rpg, 3.8 apg and 1.2 spg. He was named to All-NBA Third Team for the second straight year, along with Miami's Dwyane Wade, Detroit's Chauncy Billups, Minnesota's Kevin Garnett and Orlando's Dwight Howard. For the second time in three years, Anthony and the sixth-seeded Nuggets faced the third-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. In a virtual repeat of the 2005 first round playoff matchup between the two teams, Denver won the first game in San Antonio, 95-89, only to lose the next four games. The Nuggets were eliminated in the first round for the fourth straight year. In the playoff series against the Spurs, Anthony averaged a team-high 26.8 ppg to go along with 8.6 rpg, 1.2 apg and 1.0 spg.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony
Monday, May 4, 2009
William Anthony "Tony" Parker
William Anthony "Tony" Parker (born May 17, 1982) is a French professional basketball player who currently plays for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs and France's national team. The son of a professional basketball player, Parker played for two years in the French basketball league before entering the 2001 NBA Draft.
He was selected by the San Antonio Spurs and quickly became their starting point guard, helping the Spurs win three NBA Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Employing his pace and high field goal percentage to great effect, Parker has been selected as an NBA All-Star three times and was the 2007 NBA Finals MVP. He married actress Eva Longoria, best known for her role in the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, on 7 July 2007.
Parker was born in Bruges, Belgium, but raised in France.His father, Tony Parker Sr., an African-American, played basketball at Loyola University Chicago, as well as professionally overseas. His mother, Pamela Firestone, is a Dutch model.Parker enjoyed close relationships with his brothers and they would often attend their father's basketball games together. At first, Parker was more interested in soccer, but after watching the evolution of Michael Jordan into a global basketball superstar, he changed his mind.
Moreover, Parker's two younger brothers were also heavily involved in basketball; T.J. and Pierre would go on to play basketball at professional and college levels respectively.In the summer of 2000, Parker was invited to the Nike Hoop Summit in Indianapolis. There, in front of professional scouts and college coaches, he competed against the likes of future NBA players Darius Miles, Zach Randolph and Omar Cook. In a contest between the American and European All-Stars, Parker recorded 20 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals. The Frenchman's performance prompted a recruiting war between several colleges, including UCLA and Georgia Tech who were on the verge of persuading Parker to join them. However, Parker decided to forgo the NCAA and remain in France; he spent the next two years with Racing in the French championship before entering the 2001 NBA Draft. Prior to the 2001 NBA Draft, Parker was invited to the San Antonio Spurs summer camp. Parker's first experiences were daunting as coach Gregg Popovich had him play against Spurs scout and ex-NBA player Lance Blanks.
Parker was so overwhelmed by Blank's tough and physical defense that Popovich was ready to send him away after just 10 minutes. But after seeing a "best of" mix tape of Parker's best plays, Popovich decided to invite Parker a second time. This time, Parker made a better impression against Blanks; the Frenchman later described Blanks as a "one-man wrecking crew".But while Popovich decided that Parker was worth the gamble, the Spurs still had to hope that other teams would not pick Parker during the draft. As it were, Parker's name was barely mentioned in the pre-draft predictions and the point guard was drafted 28th overall by the Spurs on draft day. By his sophomore season, Parker had won his first championship ring. He played in all 82 regular season games as San Antonio's starting point guard in a team that was largely revamped from previous years. He improved his regular season statistics significantly, averaging 15.5 points per game (ppg), 5.3 assists per game (apg) and 2.6 rebounds per game (rpg).
Parker's role as the team's playmaker was reflected in his leading the team in assists on 49 occasions.In the post season, Parker recorded two career bests in scoring as the Spurs, led by Tim Duncan, defeated the New Jersey Nets 4–2 in the finals, and Parker earned his first NBA championship ring. Despite the victory, Parker struggled with inconsistent play throughout the playoffs, and was often substituted for the more experienced guards Steve Kerr and Speedy Claxton late in the games.Throughout the season, Parker also felt that he was often criticized too harshly by coach Popovich; in retrospect, coach Popovich admitted he was critical of his young playmaker, stating he wanted Parker to build a thick skin and mature sooner than his peers. During the 2004–05 season, Parker recorded improved regular season statistics, securing career-highs of 16.6 ppg, 6.1 apg and 3.7 rpg.
He was also ranked 13th in the league in total assists, and was third among point guards in field goal percentage.The Spurs were strong in the playoffs, and Parker was instrumental in the victories over the Denver Nuggets, Seattle Supersonics and Phoenix Suns.[10] However, the Frenchman struggled in the Finals series against the Detroit Pistons. Spurs colleagues Manu Ginóbili and Brent Barry often took over playmaking duties as Parker was unable to perform as well as he did in the regular season. Pitted against ex-Finals MVP and
All-Defensive Team member Chauncey Billups, Parker's jump shot became inconsistent, and his trademark drives to the hoop were often smothered by the defensively strong Pistons frontcourt anchored by four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace. Nevertheless, with the combination of Tim Duncan's consistent performances, the emergence of Argentine star Ginobili and Parker operating as playmaker, the Spurs won their third ever NBA championship by defeating the defending champions 4–3 in the 2005 NBA Finals.
Parker was selected for the first time in his career an NBA All-Star for the 2005–06 season as he managed a regular season career-high 18.9 ppg and a solid .548 in field goal percentage. Parker's scoring average was even higher than Duncan's, and his form propelled the Spurs to a 63–19 win-loss record and qualification for the 2006 NBA Playoffs. However, the top-seeded Spurs were again unable to win back-to-back titles as they were eliminated in the second round by the Dallas Mavericks.
On 14 February 2007, after delivering consistent numbers in the first half of the 2006–07 season, Parker was selected to play in the 2007 NBA All-Star Game as a reserve guard. With Parker operating as the starting point guard in the 2006–07 season, the Spurs qualified for the 2007 NBA Playoffs and finished second in the Southwest Division. In the Western Conference Semifinals, the Spurs met the Phoenix Suns led by two-time and reigning NBA MVP Steve Nash. In the match-up versus the best point guard of his generation, Parker used his speed to score an easy layup, or hit with his improved mid-range jump shot.
Suns coach Mike D'Antoni even used All-Defensive Team forward Shawn Marion to cover Parker, but the Frenchman used the pick and roll to beat his much bigger counterpart. After eliminating the Suns, the Spurs defeated the Utah Jazz 4–1 to win the Western Conference Finals. Parker and the Spurs went on to face the Cleveland Cavaliers and swept them 4–0 to win the 2007 NBA Finals. In this series, Parker consistently outplayed his Cavaliers counterparts Daniel Gibson and All-Defensive Team member Larry Hughes and scored a series-high 24.5 points, accompanied by a high field goal percentage of 56.8% and of 57.1% from three point range. For his performances, he was named the 2007 NBA Finals MVP, becoming the first European-born player to receive the award.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Yao Ming
This is a Chinese name; the family name is Yao (姚).
Yao Ming (Chinese: 姚明; pinyin: Yáo Míng) (born September 12, 1980, in Shanghai, China) is a Chinese professional basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is currently the tallest player in the NBA, standing at 7 ft 6 in(2.29 m).
He started playing for the Shanghai Sharks while he was still a teenager, and played on their senior team for five years in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), winning a championship in his final year. He entered the 2002 NBA draft, and after negotiating with the CBA and the Sharks to secure his release, he was selected by the Houston Rockets as the first overall pick of the draft.
He has been selected to start for the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star Game in all six of his seasons, and has been named to the All-NBA Team team three times. However, the Rockets have not advanced past the first round of the playoffs since he has joined the team, and he has missed significant time due to injury in each of the past three seasons.
Career in china:
Early life and CBA career
Yao was the only child of his parents, 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) Yao Zhiyuan and 6 ft 3 in[1] (1.90 m) Fang Fengdi, both of whom were former professional basketball players.[2] Yao, who weighed twice the average size in China at birth, grew to be 5 ft 5 in by age ten,[3] and at the same age, he was examined by sports doctors, who predicted that he would grow to the height of 7 ft 3 in.[3] Yao first started playing basketball at age nine, and he went to a junior sports school at the same age.[4]
Yao first tried out for the Sharks junior team when he was thirteen, where he had to practice for ten hours a day to make the team.[5] After playing with the junior team for four years, Yao joined the senior team of the Sharks at age seventeen, and averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds a game in his rookie season. However, his next season was cut short when he broke his foot for the second time in his career, which Yao said decreased his jumping ability by four to six inches.[6] The Sharks made the finals of the CBA in Yao Ming’s third season and again the next year, but lost both times to the Bayi Rockets. When Wang Zhizhi left for the NBA the following year, the Sharks finally won their first championship. During the playoffs in his final year with Shanghai, Yao averaged 38.9 points and 20.2 rebounds a game, while shooting 76.6% from the field,[7] and made all 21 of his shots during one game in the finals.[8]
Entering the NBA Draft
Yao was initially pressured to enter the NBA draft in 1999 by Li Yaomin, the deputy general manager of the Shanghai Sharks.[9] Li also pressured Yao into signing a contract with Evergreen Sports Inc. for them to become his agent. The contract stated that Yao would have to give Evergreen 33% of his earnings,[9] but Yao later terminated the contract after it was determined invalid.[10]
When Yao decided to enter the 2002 NBA draft, a team of advisers was formed that was collectively named “Team Yao”. The team consisted of Yao’s negotiator, Erik Zhang, his NBA agent, Bill Duffy, his Chinese agent, Lu Hao, a professor at the University of Chicago, John Huizinga, and the vice president for marketing at BDA Sports Management, Bill Sanders.[11] Yao was widely predicted to be picked number one overall.[12][13][14] However, some teams were concerned about Yao's NBA eligibility due to uncertainty over whether the CBA would let Yao play in the United States.[15]
Shortly after Wang ZhiZhi refused to return to China to play for the national team and was subsequently banned from playing for China,[16] the CBA stipulated that Yao would have to return to play for the national team.[17] They also said they would not let him go to the United States unless the Houston Rockets would take him first overall.[18] After assurances from Team Yao that the Rockets would draft Yao with their number one pick, the CBA gave permission on the morning of the draft for Yao to play in the US.[19] When the Rockets selected Yao with the first pick of the draft, he became the first international player ever to be selected first overall.[20]
NBA career
Initial years (2002-2005)
Yao did not participate in the Rocket's pre-season training camp, instead playing for China in the 2002 FIBA World Championships.[21] He played his first NBA game against the Indiana Pacers, going scoreless with a point and a rebound,[22] and scored his first NBA basket against the Denver Nuggets.[23] Yao averaged only 14 minutes and 4 points in his first seven games, and several respected commentators predicted that Yao would fail in NBA, including Bill Simmons and Dick Vitale.[24][25][26] Charles Barkley said that he would kiss the behind of Kenny Smith if Yao scored more than 19 points in his rookie season.[27] On November 17, Yao scored 20 points on a perfect 9-of-9 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free throw line against the Lakers, forcing Barkley to fulfill his promise.[28] Two games later against the Dallas Mavericks, Yao scored 30 points and took 16 rebounds, both career highs up to that point.[29]
Before Yao Ming’s first meeting with Shaquille O'Neal on January 17, 2003, O'Neal said, "Tell Yao Ming, ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-soh", prompting accusations of racism from the Asian American community.[30] O'Neal denied that his comments were racist, and said he was only joking.[31] Yao also said he believed O'Neal was joking,[31] but the comments led to increased media coverage in the buildup to the nationally-televised game. In the game, Yao Ming scored six points and blocked O'Neal twice in the opening minutes, as well as having a game-sealing dunk with 10 seconds left in overtime.[32] Yao finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds; O'Neal scored 31 points and 13 rebounds.
Yao finished his rookie season averaging 13.5 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game,[33] and was second in the NBA Rookie of the Year Award voting, first place going to Amare Stoudemire,[34] who was a unanimous pick for the NBA All-Rookie First Team selection.[1] He was also voted the Sporting News Rookie of the Year,[35] and won the Laureus Newcomer of the Year award.[36]
Before the start of Yao's sophomore season, the Rockets' head coach Rudy Tomjanovich resigned due to health issues,[37] and long time New York Knicks head coach Jeff Van Gundy was brought in. After Van Gundy began focusing the offense on Yao,[38] Yao averaged career highs in points and rebounds for the season, and had a career-high 41 points and 7 assists in a triple-overtime win against the Atlanta Hawks in February 2004.[39] He was also voted to be the starting center in the 2004 NBA All-Star Game for the second straight year.[40] Yao finished the season averaging 17.5 points and 9 rebounds a game.[33]
The Rockets made the playoffs for the first time in Yao's career, as they claimed the seventh seed in the Western Conference. But eventual NBA finalists Los Angeles Lakers eliminated Houston in the first round, with the Rockets winning only one game.[41] Yao averaged 15 points and 7.4 rebounds in his first playoff series.[33]
In the summer of 2004, the Rockets acquired Tracy McGrady from the Orlando Magic in a seven-player trade that also sent Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley to Orlando.[42] After the trade, it was predicted that the Rockets would be title contenders.[42][43] Both McGrady and Yao were voted to start in the 2005 NBA All-Star Game, and Yao broke the record previously held by Michael Jordan for most All-Star votes, with 2,558,278 total votes.[44] The Rockets won 51 games and finished fifth in the West, and made the playoffs for the second consecutive year, where they faced the Dallas Mavericks.[45] The Rockets won the first two games in Dallas, and Yao made 13-of-14 shots in the second game, the best shooting performance in the playoffs in Rockets history.[46] However the Rockets lost four of their last five games and lost Game 7 by 40 points, the largest Game 7 deficit in NBA history.[47] Yao's final averages for the series were 21.4 points on 65% shooting and 7.7 rebounds.[33]
Injury-plagued seasons (2005-2008)
Yao had missed only two games in three years up till 2005,[1] but 22 games into his fourth season he was forced onto the inactive list for an extended period for the first time in his career due to a case of osteomyelitis in the big toe of his left foot.[48] On December 18, 2005, he had surgery performed on the toe,[48] and missed a total of 21 games.[1] In the 2006 NBA All-Star game balloting, Yao again led all NBA players in voting, and was named the starting center for the Western Conference for the fourth consecutive year.[49]
In 25 games after the All-Star break, Yao averaged 25.7 points and 11.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.7% from the field and 87.8% at the free throw line.[50] His final averages in 57 games were 22.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.[33] It was the first time that he ended the season with a "20/10" average. However, Tracy McGrady played only 47 games in the season, missing time because of back spasms.[51] Yao and McGrady played only 31 games together,[52] and the Rockets did not make the playoffs, winning only 34 games.[53] With only four games left in the season, Yao suffered another injury in a game against the Utah Jazz on April 10, 2006, which left him with a broken bone in his left foot. The injury required a full six months of rest.[54]
Early into his fifth season, Yao was injured again, this time breaking his right knee on December 23, 2006 while attempting to block a shot.[55] Up to that point he had been averaging 26.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. and had been mentioned as an NBA MVP candidate.[56] Yao was not able to play in what would have been his fifth All-Star game,[57] but was medically cleared to play on March 4, 2007, after missing 34 games.[58]
Despite Yao's absence, the Rockets made the playoffs with home court advantage against the Utah Jazz in the first round.[59] The Rockets won the first two games, but then lost four of five games,[60] and were eliminated in Game 7 at home, despite Yao's 29 points, 15 in the fourth quarter.[61] Although he averaged 25.1 points and 10.3 rebounds for the series, Yao said afterwards “I didn't do my job”.[62] At the end of the season, Yao was selected to the All-NBA second team for the first time in his career, after being selected to the All-NBA third team twice.[63]
On May 18, 2007, only weeks after the Rockets were eliminated from the playoffs, it was announced that Jeff Van Gundy had been dismissed as head coach.[64] Three days later, former Sacramento Kings coach Rick Adelman was signed to replace Van Gundy.[65] It was predicted the Rockets would focus more on offense under Adelman than they would under Van Gundy's defensive-based system.[66][67]
On November 9, 2007, Yao played against fellow Chinese NBA player Yi Jianlian for the first time. The game, which the Rockets won 104-88, was broadcast on 19 networks in China, and was watched by over 200 million people in China alone, making it one the most-watched NBA games in history.[68] In the 2008 NBA All-Star Game, Yao was once again voted to start at center for the Western Conference.[69] After a poor start, the Rockets went on a streak of 22 consecutive wins. But on February 26, 2008, it was reported that Yao would miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot. He was expected to miss the playoffs but Daryl Morey said he did not expect him to miss the 2008 Summer Olympics at Beijing, China in August.[70] Yao underwent a successful operation on March 3, which placed screws in his foot to strengthen the bone.[71] Recovery time was estimated at four months, but Yao was not expected to miss the 2008 Summer Olympics. He said if he could not play in the Olympics, "it would be the biggest loss in my career to right now."[72] Yao's final averages in 55 games were 22 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2 blocks a game.[33]
International career
Early years and 2004 Olympics
During the 2004 Athens Olympics, Yao carried the Chinese flag during the opening ceremony, which he said was a “long dream come true”.[73] He then vowed to abstain from shaving his beard for half a year unless the Chinese national basketball team made it into the quarter-finals.[74] After Yao Ming scored 39 points in a win against New Zealand, China lost 58–83, 57–82, and 52–89 against Spain, Argentina and Italy respectively. But in the final group game, a 67–66 win over reigning world champions Serbia and Montenegro moved them into the quarterfinals. Yao scored 27 points and had 13 rebounds, and hit two free throws with 28 seconds left that proved to be the winning margin.[75] He was selected to the All-Olympics team with his performance, averaging 20.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting 55.9% from the field.[76]
2006 World Championships
Yao’s injury at the end of the 2005–06 NBA season required a full six months of rest, which left some doubt as to whether Yao would play in the 2006 FIBA World Championship.[77] However, he recovered before the start of the tournament, and in the last game of the preliminary round, he had 36 points and 10 rebounds in a win against Slovenia to lead China into the round of 16.[78] But in the first knockout round, China was defeated by eventual finalists Greece.[78] Yao's final averages were 25.3 points, the most in the tournaments, and nine rebounds a game, which was fourth overall.[79]
Off the court
Personal life
In early 2007, an internet hoax reported that Yao was dating American actress Nia Long,[80] but Yao rejected the allegations.[81] He is married to Ye Li, a Chinese women's basketball player, whom he met when he was seventeen.[82] Ye was not fond of Yao at first, but finally accepted him after he gave her the team pins he had collected during the 2000 Summer Olympics.[82] Their romance was first made public when they appeared together during the 2004 Olympics closing ceremony,[82] and on August 6, 2007, Yao married Ye in a ceremony attended by close friends and family that was closed to the media.[83]
In 2004, a biography of Yao was published, entitled "Yao: A Life in Two Worlds", written by Ric Bucher. In the same year, he was also the subject of a documentary film, The Year of the Yao, which focuses on his NBA rookie year, and is narrated by his friend and translator for his first three seasons, Colin Pine.[84]
Public life
Yao is one of China's most recognizable athletes, along with Liu Xiang.[85] He has led Forbes' Chinese celebrities list in income and popularity for five straight years, earning 54.6 million US dollars (387.8 million yuan) in 2007.[86] A major part of his income comes from his sponsorship deals,[87] as he is under contract with several major companies to endorse their products. He was signed by Nike until the end of the his rookie season, when they decided not to renew his contract, and he instead signed with Reebok.[88] He also had a deal with Pepsi, and he successfully sued Coca-Cola in 2003 when they used his image on their bottles while promoting the national team.[89] However, he has since signed with Coke for the 2008 Olympics.[87] His other deals include partnerships with McDonald’s, which he said was his favorite restaurant when he was young,[90] Visa,[91] Apple,[92] and Garmin.[93]
Yao has also participated in many charity events during his career, including the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program.[94] In the NBA's offseason in 2003, Yao hosted a telethon, which raised $300,000 to help stop the spread of SARS.[95] In September 2007, he held an auction that raised 6.75 million yuan,[96] and competed in a charity basketball match to raise money for underprivileged children in China. He was joined by fellow NBA stars Steve Nash, Carmelo Anthony, and Baron Davis, and Hong Kong-born movie star
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Ben Wallace
Ben Wallace (born September 10, 1974 in White Hall, Alabama) is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Nicknamed Big Ben and The Body, he plays the positions of center and power forward, and is 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) and 240 lb (110 kg). He is a four-time winner of the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award (a feat equalled only by Dikembe Mutombo), and is regarded as one of the finest defensive players in the game. Wallace was considered by many to be the cornerstone of the Detroit Pistons' success in the 2000s, culminating in a championship in 2004. On July 13, 2006, Wallace signed a four-year $60 million contract with the Chicago Bulls.[1] On February 21, 2008, Wallace was involved in a 3-team deal and traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Ben Wallace first played college basketball on the junior college level at Cuyahoga Community College for two years. He then transferred to Virginia Union, a Division II school, where he studied criminal justice. As an undrafted player, he was signed as a rookie free agent by the Washington Bullets on October 2, 1996 after playing in Italy.
In 1999, Wallace was traded to the Orlando Magic along with Tim Legler, Terry Davis, and Jeff McInnis for Ike Austin. On August 3, 2000, he was traded along with Chucky Atkins to the Detroit Pistons for Grant Hill, in what was at the time considered a one-sided trade; Hill had planned to sign with Orlando as an unrestricted free agent, but the sign and trade deal allowed Hill to receive a slightly more lucrative contract while Detroit received at least some compensation for losing its marquee player. But since the deal, Wallace has had the more successful career by far, owing in part to Hill's oft-injured status. He has been considered the quintessential defensive specialist, winning the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05, and 2005-06 seasons. In the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, he led the league in both rebounds and blocked shots. In 2003, he was voted by fans to his first NBA All-Star Game as the starting Center for the Eastern Conference.
Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars promised Wallace that when his old contract expired, the Pistons would make Wallace the highest-paid Piston of all time, and Ben indicated that this show of good faith would be all he would need to re-sign with the Pistons. Dumars kept his promise, extending Wallace a four-year deal reportedly worth $48 million to $50 million, the richest in team history. Despite the Pistons' integrity, on July 3, 2006, Wallace agreed to a four-year deal worth $60 million with the Chicago Bulls. The deal became official July 13, and Wallace was introduced to the Chicago media as the team's newest member that day. He cited his strained relationship with Pistons' coach Flip Saunders as the primary reason for his departure.
On February 21, 2008, he was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of a three-team deal that included Seattle Sonics and the Chicago Bulls.[2] The deal moved Wallace to the power forward position with Zydrunas Ilgauskas as the starting center.
Ben Wallace plays the center position and is lauded as a prime defensive presence.[3] He has been voted as the NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times. He is somewhat undersized for a center, being listed at 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m), 240 lb., a frame statistically resembling more of a forward; he himself admits his actual height is 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m).[3]
However, he compensates for this by his impressive physique (even measured against the standards of his NBA peers) which allows him to out-muscle most of his opposition and "play bigger than his body", allowing him to average 10.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.4 steals per game over the course of his entire career. He is especially intimidating with his shot-blocking and defending the basket from drives, allowing his teammates to be aggressive on the perimeter, a defensive scheme used extensively by the Pistons. His uncanny defensive timing allows him to defend with great intensity without committing a foul (his career average of 2.1 fouls per game [1] is considered low). In addition, he is seen also as one of the most reliable contributors, rarely failing to deliver in important games.
His drawback is his offensive game. Wallace's averages on offense are a mediocre 6.6 points and 1.3 assists per game. His role on offense is mainly to roam near the basket for close range shots when left open and go after offensive rebounds. Like other big men in the NBA, namely Shaquille O'Neal and Wilt Chamberlain, Wallace is a poor free throw shooter. In fact, he is the worst free throw shooter in NBA history out of any player with more than 1000 attempts; as of February 2007, his NBA career average is 41.8%. This ineptitude at the free throw line results in his sometimes becoming a target of the so-called "Hack-a-Shaq" defense (in reference to Ben Wallace, the technique is also called Whack-a-Wallace or Bop-a-Ben). Part of the reason for this drawback is that his right wrist has some ligaments that were cut off due to a surgery that was needed because his hand had some carpal tunnel issues. This causes his hand to "slip" sometimes when he shoots a free throw, forcing him to pop it back into place, resulting in him being unable to make them on a consistent basis.
Trivia:
* Wallace was a letterman in football, baseball, basketball and track. He won All-State honors in all but track.[8]
* Former basketball player Charles Oakley is Wallace's mentor, having discovered Wallace at a 1991 basketball camp. Coincidentally, Oakley attended Virginia Union as well.[9]
* Wallace had gained great notoriety in the Detroit area and nationwide, and fans often arrived at his games sporting wigs in honor of his trademark afro hairstyle. However, he usually only had the afro for home games; for away games, he had his hair styled into cornrows. He stated he was made fun of at away games for his hair styles.
* During his tenure with the Pistons, whenever Wallace scored or recorded a block on Detroit's homecourt, the Palace of Auburn Hills, the sound of a gong was played, an allusion to the Big Ben, Wallace's nickname. After Wallace became a member of the Chicago Bulls, this tradition has continued on their homecourt, the United Center and the tradition is still carried on to this day in Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena.
* Recorded a notable block of Shaquille O'Neal on June 1, 2006, in Game 5 of the 2006 Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and the Detroit Pistons. O'Neal was stuffed so completely that he tumbled to the floor. Heat coach Pat Riley called it "a hell of a play", while Shaq claimed it was an obvious foul and told the press not to ask him stupid questions after being asked whether he thought it was a block or a foul.[10] A photo of this won "Photo of the Year 2006" by NBA.com
source: http://www.symbianize.com
