2008 Woodie Awards
One "Tall" Author Tells All
Wayne Coffey
Issue date: 9/29/04 Section: Sports
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NEW YORK- Nine stories over Central Park on Monday afternoon, the NBA's tallest player and newest author was folded like an envelope on a hotel-suite sofa, his 7-6, 310-pound body clad in a cream-colored shirt, black slacks and size-18 loafers.
He talked about the famous Chinese coach who said he'd never be a top ballplayer, the kindergarten teacher who feared he was too kind to stop people from taking advantage of him, and the admonition from Del Harris, his Olympic coach in Athens, just before he carried the Chinese flag before a few billion viewers in opening ceremonies.
"No turnovers," Harris said to him in Chinese.
Yao Ming laughed. "That's the only time I didn't (drop) something," he said.
A few weeks before he is due to report to coach Jeff Van Gundy to begin his third NBA season, Yao was in New York City to promote his new autobiography, written with Ric Bucher and titled "Yao: A Life in Two Worlds." The book, published by Miramax, chronicles his path from a boy in Shanghai who just wanted to fit in, into arguably the world's most visible athlete.
Fitting in is still a goal- "I just want to be a regular person in daily life"- but one he knows he has no chance of fulfilling. After doing a segment on the "Today" show early Monday, he walked 20 feet on West 48 St., which was enough time for NBC staffers and passers-by to call his name and cause an instant clamor.
"I've never seen anything like it," said Flavil Van Dyke, a media consultant who works with Yao. "Everywhere he goes, people are transfixed by him. Most people are polite about it, but they just can't help but look at him."
Fame may be the most jarring difference to Yao's life since leaving Shanghai, but the adjustments- linguistic, cultural, competitive- have been virtually nonstop. He had to get used to using credit cards, instead of paying cash, to making a doctor's appointment, instead of just walking into a clinic. He also learned that clear beverages are not always what they seem.
He talked about the famous Chinese coach who said he'd never be a top ballplayer, the kindergarten teacher who feared he was too kind to stop people from taking advantage of him, and the admonition from Del Harris, his Olympic coach in Athens, just before he carried the Chinese flag before a few billion viewers in opening ceremonies.
"No turnovers," Harris said to him in Chinese.
Yao Ming laughed. "That's the only time I didn't (drop) something," he said.
A few weeks before he is due to report to coach Jeff Van Gundy to begin his third NBA season, Yao was in New York City to promote his new autobiography, written with Ric Bucher and titled "Yao: A Life in Two Worlds." The book, published by Miramax, chronicles his path from a boy in Shanghai who just wanted to fit in, into arguably the world's most visible athlete.
Fitting in is still a goal- "I just want to be a regular person in daily life"- but one he knows he has no chance of fulfilling. After doing a segment on the "Today" show early Monday, he walked 20 feet on West 48 St., which was enough time for NBC staffers and passers-by to call his name and cause an instant clamor.
"I've never seen anything like it," said Flavil Van Dyke, a media consultant who works with Yao. "Everywhere he goes, people are transfixed by him. Most people are polite about it, but they just can't help but look at him."
Fame may be the most jarring difference to Yao's life since leaving Shanghai, but the adjustments- linguistic, cultural, competitive- have been virtually nonstop. He had to get used to using credit cards, instead of paying cash, to making a doctor's appointment, instead of just walking into a clinic. He also learned that clear beverages are not always what they seem.