DATE=OCTOBER 31, 2002

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=YAO MING NBA DEBUT (L-O)

NUMBER=2-295952

BYLINE=PARKE BREWER

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

INTERNET=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The much anticipated National Basketball Association debut of Chinese center Yao Ming did not go quite as well as expected. But his coach with the Houston Rockets, Rudy Tomjanovich (tom-JAHN-o-vitch) says the team is not worried. V-O-A Sports Editor Parke Brewer has more.

TEXT: There is only one player in the N-B-A taller than China's Yao Ming, who stands two-meters 26-centimeters tall. Ming was selected first in last June's N-B-A draft by the Houston Rockets. Previously he played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association.

In his N-B-A debut Wednesday against the host Indianapolis Pacers, Yao played more like an average backup center than the number-one overall pick in the draft. In fact, his 11-minutes played were the fewest by a number-one pick in an N-B-A debut in about 25-years.

Earlier this week, Yao assured his translator that the Chinese way was to never get too up or too down. There is little doubt Yao Ming was feeling somewhat down after his first N-B-A game. With his parents in the stands in Indianapolis and an estimated 300-million watching on television in China, he did not score a point, attempting only one field goal. He had two-rebounds, two-turnovers and was called for three fouls.

After the game, his translator relayed Yao's comments to the media.

/// BRIEF MANDARIN THEN YAO INTERPRETER ACT ///

I learned that I still have a lot to learn and that I am just a rookie.

/// END ACT ///

Because he played for the Chinese national team at the recent Asian games in (Busan,) South Korea, Yao missed all of Houston's N-B-A training camp and most of the pre-season. He arrived in Houston less than two-weeks before his first N-B-A game.

His coach Rudy Tomjanovich said that is a big factor.

/// TOMJANOVICH ACT ///

He has been here a total of 10-days and (he is) trying to grasp all these different things that we are trying to do. And you know it has happened so fast, I just think it is going to take some time.

/// END ACT ///

Yao's new Rockets' teammate Cuttino Mobley agrees.

/// MOBLEY ACT ///

You see it is one thing to know the English language, then it is another thing that in a fast-paced game, you have to know that, what we are telling you to do, jump in here (make this play), and we are telling him in English, and he has only been here a week and a half.

/// END ACT ///

Indiana Pacers coach Isiah Thomas says Yao Ming's teammates, coach and fans must be patient.

/// THOMAS ACT ///

Give him time. I mean it is not like he went to high school here, went to college here and then he came into the N-B-A. This is a young man that is on quite a journey.

/// END ACT ///

Yao Ming said that sometimes during his N-B-A debut game it felt like he was in a dream. Through his translator, Yao said he knows his playing will improve.

/// BRIEF MANDARIN THEN YAO INTERPRETER ACT ///

There are some things I regret about tonight, but I realize this is just the beginning. It is regretful, but there has to be a start to everything, and this is a start for me.

/// END ACT ///

With an 82-game regular season in the N-B-A, Yao Ming will have a lot of time to prove he belongs in the world's elite professional basketball league. (SIGNED)

NEB/SPTS/PARKE/RAE