Yao's Legacy

With rumors of Yao Ming's retirement from the NBA, I am saddened by how little play the news has been getting. The oft-injured big man was not only a dominant force on the court, but instrumental in bringing HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of new fans to basketball.

Yao's dry wit, his status as the face of China, his dedication to good citizenry (his commitment to playing with the Chinese national team each offseason likely led to his physical demise as an athlete) were all things that made him unique, but above all else, what will be lost is what a great player he was.

This clip shows him in his prime (only two years ago) during the first game of the playoffs, on the road, against Portland. He puts together one of the most of the impressive first halves in NBA history after Portland decides not to double-team him. His stat-line: 24 points, 9/9 from the field, 6/6 from the free line (Yao was also one of the best, if not the best, free-throw shooting big men of all-time, career average of 83%). Here he is masterful. Possessed.

Before the harpies start their trope about how he was just taller, I urge you to watch how he scores these 24 points. Not by sheer height, but by twists, head feints, hooks, and-ones, and long jumpers. That's a point per minute of perfection. This encapsulates what could have been had Yao stayed healthy.

By the second half, Portland had no choice but to double-team him, which opened up the floor to rest of the Rockets' offensive assault. Yao did not shoot the ball once in the second half, and rested the entire fourth period because the game was already out-of-reach. By the second round of the playoffs, he was injured and the Rockets were done for without him.