2009年11月30日星期一

Yao On Home Court For NBA's first China Games

Yao Ming giant Inflatable Bungee Run is back in his hometown on business. And that's exactly the point for the NBA, which is eyeing all sorts of marketing possibilities in a country of 1.3 billion.
A practice at the Shanghai city gym was called off because of problems getting the team's luggage. A regular practice was scheduled for Wednesday.

"I'm here on business and I want to play well," said Yao, who was selected for Shanghai's youth team at age 14 and later played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese professional league.

Yao and the Houston Rockets face the Sacramento Kings in an exhibition game Thursday, and Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy intends to limit his 7-foot-6 center to 22-28 minutes because of the grueling months ahead.

But Van Gundy still hopes to showcase Yao during the first game between NBA teams in China, where basketball has taken a higher profile since Yao became an international star.

"I know he wants to play very, very well here and I want to give his fans the opportunity to see him play," Van Gundy said Tuesday. "I want to play him because he's in his hometown. But I don't want to overplay him, given that it's only the second exhibition game and we have a long season ahead of us."

Yao played 17 minutes in the Rockets' preseason game Sunday at home against Shaquille O'Neal and the Miami Heat. He joined Tracy McGrady and the rest of the Rockets in a light workout Tuesday at their hotel health club.

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