Rockets urging Yao Ming to demand the ball more
(Houston Chronicle,US )
Updated: 2003-11-07 09:02

Jeff Van Gundy has a dream. His is a modest fantasy, one most coaches take for granted and one he likely never thought would need to exist in his imagination.
Others might dream of someday coaching a player like Yao Ming. Van Gundy imagines Yao becoming like other players.

Yao Ming(R) and Jeff Van Gundy

Hakeem Olajuwon never hesitated to make that demand. "That's just basketball," he often said. Moses Malone yearned to teach Yao how to command the ball and the responsibility.

Ewing said that sometimes Yao must say, "Give me the ... ball."

And when Ewing said it while sitting on the Rockets bench before a game, there was enough emphasis and salty language that three ballboys and four players warming up nearby might have felt a reflex to pass him the ball.

Yao, however, has been long trained in the virtues of humility and selflessness.

NBA scouts and coaches have watched in amazement as the Chinese National team, until last summer's Olympic qualifying tournament, treated its greatest athletic treasure as just another interchangeable part.

Yao's humility quickly endeared him to teammates last season, when he was the center of so much attention. But Van Gundy has made it clear that the Rockets' blueprint is to build around Yao and Steve Francis. He will surround them with players suited to complement their talents. Yao and Francis have to move from talented to dominating players.

"He has this demeanor of humility and team first," Van Gundy said of Yao. "And yet you don't want him trying so hard to fit in that he can't stand out."

Yao has shown signs of taking those steps. He has worked harder to establish low-post position. He has looked for his shot off the dribble.

His impact is also clear. Even against the Nets on Tuesday night, when he took just 10 shots, Yao fought for position enough to command double teams, opening outside shots for teammates -- especially Jim Jackson and Cuttino Mobley -- and wearing out scrambling defenders.

On one Mobley baseline drive, Nets center Jason Collins did not move to cut him off because Yao moved toward the basket and Collins was unwilling to leave the Rockets' center unguarded.

When defended by Alonzo Mourning without double-team help in Tuesday's Rockets victory, Yao spun past for a slam.

Van Gundy has insisted that the Rockets had no reluctance to get the ball to Yao last season and that looking for Yao inside has not been a shortcoming this season. He has gotten Yao to fight more for position inside, but Yao has not yet used his array of moves to set up the next move, and he never looks to score against a double-team.

Olajuwon's hard drives to his left could set up a jump hook to the right. Ewing could use the threat of a drive to set up a step-back jumper. While Yao is developing a similar repertoire, the Rockets now are trying to get him to look to take over a game, rather than merely run his share of the plays called.

"His disposition to become a dominant player in this league has to improve for him to become that type of player," Van Gundy said.

"I've said it many times: There is more separation in this league in attitude than there is in talent. Certainly, Yao is a very talented player. He's also got a great demeanor about him. He has to be one that has that disposition to feel like he can be the dominant player on the court every night.

"You're always working with that," the coach continued. "When he gets in his spot and has single coverage and has it every time, he should be thinking score every time, until they bring that second defender. His nature, I would say, would be, `If I score three or four times, what is everyone else thinking?' As a coach, I'm thinking, `Score again. Yeah.' "

Yao has made 22 of 38 shots this season and averages 15 points. But the Rockets would like to have him attempt more than 9.5 shots per game, particularly while he is shooting 58 percent.

"There's no physical basketball skill he doesn't have," Van Gundy said. "But that disposition to dominate every night ... he's a very kind man, which is great, and yet you have to develop that disposition to, if you get 10 early, to try to get 12, 14, 16. That disposition is what stars have."

None of this will come as news to Yao. He said it's frustrating to have the values he has been so determined to develop found wanting. But he also said he was flattered that Van Gundy wants him to take over games.

"That comment gives me a lot of confidence," Yao said. "I was used to that more when I was playing in China. On this team, I'm not quite used to it yet. How should I say it? If you give me a little time, I can get more used to it."

There have been signs at the start of games that he is adjusting to the role without really changing. In this case, Van Gundy said Yao could be selfless and demanding at the same time.

"I think he can learn from the stars that had come before him in this league. They had a disposition to be a dominant player on each possession," Van Gundy said. "Patrick Ewing was a lot like that. I think a lot of guys are like that. You had one here for a long time. I think Olajuwon could be a nice, gentle guy until he was on the court and was dropping 50 on you."

With that "Dream" in mind, Van Gundy couldn't help but think of Yao and have a dream of his own.