Yao Ming is leading the attention of the international players in
the 2003 NBA All-Star Game, which has five overseas players to
compete and another seven foreign players participating the gala in
Atlanta this weekend.
Yao, a 7-6 center from China, was the first choice of most of the
over 200 reporters in Friday afternoon's open interview at the
Centennial Ballroom of Hyatt Regency Hotel in Atlanta.
The Houston Rockets rookie, who will start in Sunday's All-Star
Game for the West Conference ahead of Shaquille O'Neal of the Los
Angeles Lakers, was surrounded by a horde of reporters at the start
of the media session.
Some photographers who came late had to bring ladders and boxes to
find a space to shoot, and others standing in front of audio
amplifiers to take tape record.
"I
feel excited here. The All-Star Game is completely a new feeling to
me," Yao said. "I'm glad I can participate in the gala. "
A
record 12 international players will join in the All-Star Weekend,
which prompts the NBA to set up a special oversees players meeting
with the media from countries and areas outside of the United
States.
"It's not me only who makes this happened. It's because the efforts
brought by all the international players in the NBA," Yao said.
"The international basketball is getting better and better. They've
had great impacts on the NBA," said Dirk Nowitzki from the Dallas
Mavericks. "It's really amazing."
The German forward's remarks were soundly responded by his peer,
Peja Stojakovic of Yugoslavia.
"The success of international players in the NBA shows the big
confidence of the international basketball," said the Sacramento
Kings forward, who will defend his title in the Shootout.
Gary Payton, a 10-time All-Star player from the Seattle
SuperSonics, said, "The overseas players has proved they know how
to pass, to shoot three-pointers, to defend. That's the reason why
a lot of them were picked up (in the draft)."
"They're doing great job to come into the All-Star Game. I would
say they make the league more compatible. I have to work on more
fundamental things to keep myself in the competition," he
added.
The All-Star Game will be broadcast to 3.1 billion TV audiences
from 212 countries and areas of the world in 41 different
languages.
More than 250 international media from 35 countries and areas of
the world have sent reporters to Atlanta to cover the All-Star
Weekend, which is slated from Feb. 7-9.
The NBA.com will broadcast the All-Star Game on the website in 12
languages.
(Eastday.com February 9, 2003)