By Guan Weijia BEIJING — Chinese media and fans are usually harsh, sometimes even cruel. Even Yao Ming, the symbol of China and the greatest basketball player ever produced by the world’s most populated country, was criticized by a lot of Chinese Yao-haters. Even today, there are still a large number of Chinese fans who disapprove of Yao’s achievements, judging him as tall but awkward, calling him “Yao the Stupid” (In Mandarin, it is pronounced Yao Da Sha). The criticism of Yi Jianlian is more
Gibson column: Euroleague Preview
By Nick Gibson of EuroleagueAdventures.com Kevin Durant doesn’t seem too keen on spending his lockout overseas. Dwight Howard says he has a soft spot for China, but that’s what Dwight Howard does: says things. And though self-proclaimed Europhile Kobe Bryant has entertained overtures from Italian and Turkish squads (Chinese, too), not even the Black Mamba has inked a deal that would keep him busy while the NBA plays its games in conference rooms instead of on basketball courts. So no, we haven’t seen
NBA Lockout: Sheridan’s Thoughts via Trail Blazers radio
By Chris Sheridan Yes, to all of my tweeps and e-mailers who keep asking me if I think the NBA season is going to start on time. Yes. Why do I believe this? Have a listen to this podcast from Trail Blazers radio, in which I lay it all out: Chris Sheridan Interview for Portland Trail Blazers radio
Heisler Column: Goodbye mid-level, hello NBA season
By Mark Heisler Gee, already? After a one-month stalemate, a year of posturing, hints of contraction, et al., NBA owners and players began to engage last week…. Almost. The owners reportedly bumped their offer up… by like 1 percent. Hey, these things proceed at their own excruciating pace, and it was still early to expect anyone’s best offer. There was David Stern’s usual foreshadowing (“The calendar is not our friend”) and his usual light moment, even as darkness gathered (“We told them we wouldn’t say anything,
Zagoria Column: Featured Future Pro, UCLA’s Kyle Anderson
By Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog Kyle Anderson isn’t on DraftExpress.com’s 2013 Mock Draft board just yet, but the talented point guard could end up in the NBA by 2014. The 6-foot-8 Anderson out of Jersey City (N.J.) St. Anthony has an extremely high basketball IQ and has drawn comparisons to Magic Johnson, Jalen Rose and a young Lloyd Daniels. “He’s got a chance to be one-and-done, but he’s gotta play with some good players,” said one Division 1 assistant coach who recruited Anderson. “He’s gotta
Bernucca Column: Punking vs. Punching
By Chris Bernucca “There’s a lot of woofing going on in the league. Guys do a lot of talking. What I would like to see, since television seems to be promoting everything, is an off-season boxing tournament for NBA players. Let them put on 16-ounce gloves and fight three two-minute rounds. One thing it would do … it would stop a lot of the woofing going on.” – “Pistol” Pete Maravich, in a 1977 Sports Illustrated article My son plays AAU basketball. He’s not
May Column: Ainge explains McHale’s return to coaching
By Peter May They all come back. Whether it’s the money, the desire for competition, the lifestyle they thought they missed, they all come back. Kevin McHale is only the latest to leave the security of the broadcast booth to take a coaching job in the NBA. Leaving aside the question of whether the Houston Rockets know what they’re doing, the average person has to ask: what is he doing? Why would anyone want to get back to those long days, the unending
Heisler column: Only Stern knows true timetable
By Mark Heisler Mama, put my guns in the ground, I can’t shoot them anymore. That long, black cloud is comin’ down. Feel like I’m knocking … Oh, not yet? This just in: The NBA season, preseason, training camps and even the pre-camp media days aren’t over yet! As for those hopelessly stalemated talks with rifts reportedly opening on both sides? Yeah, right. Everything you’ve seen and heard to this point is play-acting. As far as actual negotiations, neither side has even started yet. Given the NBA