Chinese People in the NBA - Yo! Yao...

If you haven't heard by now, then you're probably not a fan but China's most beloved international sports star, Yao Ming, has been sidelined for the rest of the NBA regular and post season due to a stress fracture. Although this is a heartbreak for the fans of both Yao and the stampeding Houston Rockets, bigger concerns are coming from China as Yao's status for the 2008 Olympic Games is in question.

No other Chinese sports player is more widely known or more loved by Chinese people than 7'6" Yao Ming. If it wasn't for Yao, basketball would be to the Chinese as soccer is to the Americans. Despite being the 3rd Chinese basketball player in the NBA, the first being Wang Zhi Zhi and the second being Mengke Bateer (who knew?), Yao Ming is by far the most visible and popular, not to mention he was first pick in the 2002 NBA draft. He not only exudes a sense of innocence, humility and honesty but he can actually play some ball as well (6 time NBA All-Star). Since we're talking about Chinese basketball players in the NBA, it is only fair to also mention newcomer Yi Jianlian. He was the overall 6th pick in the 2007 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and is one of the most athletic 7 footers out there today; so don't sleep on this guy.

A national hero in China and a basketball icon in America, Yao Ming is one of the most famous Chinese things out there. If he does not play in the Olympic Games, Chinese all around the world will feel the pain Houston feels now.

Chinese Only Please - NACBA

For all you Chinese basketball players, there are tournaments out there just for you! Most urban city Chinatowns hold local Chinese tournaments and leagues throughout the year but the main event and certainly the most prestigious of Chinese basketball tournaments is the NACBA Invitational Tournament held every year during Memorial Day Weekend. The first invitational tournament was started in Chicago in 1981 and has been hosted annually all over North America (Toronto, Boston, San Francisco, Montreal, Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, Arizona, Washington DC, Philadelphia) with the requirement that all players must be 1/4 Chinese (at least on grandparent must be Chinese).

So why a Chinese-only basketball tournament? Is it because we can't hang with the best non-Chinese ballers? Some may think so but I personally do not. Having seen the high caliber play of some of these tournament players, in addition to the increasing number of Chinese players entering the NBA (Yao Ming, Wang Zhi Zhi, Mengke Bateer and Yi Jian Lian), it is safe to say, we can play with the best. I think this tournament started because a bunch of Chinese guys in Chicago really liked basketball and was tired of playing the same local Chinese teams. Chinese people love to compete against other Chinese. To this day, I think the main appeal for this tournament, in addition to bragging rites for being the best Chinese basketball team in North America and fostering unity among Chinese basketball enthusiasts, is the chance to go up against top notch Chinese players that you would never have the chance to play with otherwise. For more information, visit the NACBA website.

Why We Are Captivated by Jeremy Lin

There has been a lot of talk about Jeremy Lin recently and deservedly so. He has made the transition from an "affirmative action" hire into a real contributor. But why are we so captivated by number 17?

Here are three reasons why we want to see what happens next in the life of Jeremy Lin:

He's the Chinese Jackie Robinson

Lin has regularly heard bigoted jeers at games such as "Wonton soup", "Sweet and sour pork", "Open your eyes!", "Go back to China", "Orchestra is on the other side of campus", or pseudo-Chinese gibberish. (Wikipedia, Jeremy Lin - Racial Issues)

This reminded me of a book report I did on Jackie Robinson when I was in elementary school. What made Jackie's story so compelling was his ability to overcome racism in America to become respected in his sport. He wasn't imported like other Chinese players. The reason why it is easy for us to root for Jeremy is we can all relate to being "held down" and having to persevere until we triumph. Jeremy's story like Jackie's is a story of hope for all who have experienced some type of oppression for who we are.

He's Not "Special"

Jeremy Lin, unlike other Chinese players in the NBA (Yao Ming, Wang ZhiZhi, Yi Jianlian, etc), is 6' 3" and 200 lbs, which is not rare to find in the United States. He's not unusually tall, freakishly strong or unbelievingly fast. Some may even argue that he has an ugly shot and this is what makes his story so interesting because you HAVE TO attribute his success to skill. You can't even say it's luck because he has been putting up good numbers in all his starts as a Knick which leads to my last reason.

He's Helping the Team Win

Knicks fans probably appreciate this the most since we haven't had much since the Patrick Ewing era. Not sure when the last time the Knicks had a winning streak but Jeremy Lin is definitely making Knicks basketball more exciting to watch. I wouldn't be surprised if the ratings have been going up ever since Jeremy became a starter.

No matter what happens, I think Jeremy has proven that Chinese basketball players can hang with the best. Only time can tell if this is the beginning of something truly special.