How's the weather down there, Yao?

**Rain Man** · 04-19-2005, 04:23 PM

Cripes. This guy is tall.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/3549284

Great 'tall' of China: 7-foot-8 Sun eyes NBA
Story Tools: Print Email
FOXSports.com
Posted: 1 hour ago

NBA scouts are already drooling over the next giant import from China.

Sun Ming Ming is China's latest NBA prospect, and at 7-foot-8 3/4, the 21-year-old is roughly two inches taller than former No. 1 pick Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets.

If Sun is picked in the June NBA draft, his agent hopes he'll go to a team willing to develop Sun's skills. (News & Record / Joseph Rodriguez / Associated Press)

The Greensboro News & Record reports that Sun is working out in Greensboro for a shot at the NBA.

"With his size, that intrigues everybody," former NBA player Keith Gatlin told the News & Record after working out with Sun. "He can really shoot the ball to be that size. The challenge for him now is to get mobile, to get up and down the court."

The lure of the NBA is certainly exciting to the raw big man.

"I have more opportunities here," Sun told the News & Record through interpreter Hsiao-Yin Chu. "I have the opportunity to play with the best players in the world and get into good basketball."

Sun Ming Ming is roughly two inches taller than former No. 1 pick Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets. (News & Record / Joseph Rodriguez / Associated Press)

If Sun is picked in the June NBA draft, his agent Charles Bonsignore hopes he'll go to a team willing to develop Sun's skills and not immediately expect him to be the next Yao Ming. Trainer James Wilson has worked with Sun on his mobility for about five weeks and said Sun is young in terms of his training years.

"I treat him like he is a high school senior lifting weights," Wilson told the News & Record. "You build from that. ... There's a progression that you need to go."

And Sun has gotten comfortable in his new surroundings since arriving in North Carolina and staying with host family Rocky and Celeste Manning, friends of Gatlin's.

"He's been great," Rocky Manning told the News & Record. "He totally changed from when he first came here. He didn't seem that happy, but now he smiles and laughs and knows a couple hundred words in English. He's a very smart guy."

Sun will stay in the United States until May when he'll return to China to play in the national games with his club team. He is expected to return in June for the draft.

China has produced three tall players who are playing or have played in the NBA. There's 7-6 Ming, 7-1 Wang Zhizhi and 6-11 Mengke Bateer.

And there are more giants headed west, according to website of the Chinese national team.

Soupnazi · 04-19-2005, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Holy moses. He's playing full court pop-a-shot.

tyton75 · 04-19-2005, 04:30 PM

I thought Chinese guys were supposed to be short little guys... not freaking Godzilla

what kinda DNA testing to the REALLY have going on over there!?!?

**Rain Man** · 04-19-2005, 04:33 PM

7-9 is really amazing. It wasn't that long ago that a seven-footer was rare.

ChiefsCountry · 04-19-2005, 04:57 PM

Man I can't wait to see Lebron or Kobe or T-Mac dunk over this goofy dude.

**Saulbadguy** · 04-19-2005, 05:36 PM

Manute Bol was 7-7. This guy is almost 7-9. You can't coach 7-9.

**Skip Towne** · 04-19-2005, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

7-9 is really amazing. It wasn't that long ago that a seven-footer was rare.

KU started it all with Wilt "the Stilt" in 1958. We also had two 6'10" guys in 1972. Roger Brown and Dave Robisch. Both white guys.

Ultra Peanut · 04-19-2005, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyton75

I thought Chinese guys were supposed to be short little guys... not freaking Godzilla

The rest of the country pooled their "tall" genes together to get these two into the NBA.

**HemiEd** · 04-19-2005, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyton75

I thought Chinese guys were supposed to be short little guys... not freaking Godzilla

what kinda DNA testing to the REALLY have going on over there!?!?

If you have eighty gozillions of chances you are bound to get a few freeks of nature.

04-19-2005, 04:23 PM
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3318491 VARSITY	How's the weather down there, Yao? Cripes. This guy is tall. http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/3549284 Great 'tall' of China: 7-foot-8 Sun eyes NBA Story Tools: Print Email FOXSports.com Posted: 1 hour ago NBA scouts are already drooling over the next giant import from China. Sun Ming Ming is China's latest NBA prospect, and at 7-foot-8 3/4, the 21-year-old is roughly two inches taller than former No. 1 pick Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets. If Sun is picked in the June NBA draft, his agent hopes he'll go to a team willing to develop Sun's skills. (News & Record / Joseph Rodriguez / Associated Press) The Greensboro News & Record reports that Sun is working out in Greensboro for a shot at the NBA. "With his size, that intrigues everybody," former NBA player Keith Gatlin told the News & Record after working out with Sun. "He can really shoot the ball to be that size. The challenge for him now is to get mobile, to get up and down the court." The lure of the NBA is certainly exciting to the raw big man. "I have more opportunities here," Sun told the News & Record through interpreter Hsiao-Yin Chu. "I have the opportunity to play with the best players in the world and get into good basketball." Sun Ming Ming is roughly two inches taller than former No. 1 pick Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets. (News & Record / Joseph Rodriguez / Associated Press) If Sun is picked in the June NBA draft, his agent Charles Bonsignore hopes he'll go to a team willing to develop Sun's skills and not immediately expect him to be the next Yao Ming. Trainer James Wilson has worked with Sun on his mobility for about five weeks and said Sun is young in terms of his training years. "I treat him like he is a high school senior lifting weights," Wilson told the News & Record. "You build from that. ... There's a progression that you need to go." And Sun has gotten comfortable in his new surroundings since arriving in North Carolina and staying with host family Rocky and Celeste Manning, friends of Gatlin's. "He's been great," Rocky Manning told the News & Record. "He totally changed from when he first came here. He didn't seem that happy, but now he smiles and laughs and knows a couple hundred words in English. He's a very smart guy." Sun will stay in the United States until May when he'll return to China to play in the national games with his club team. He is expected to return in June for the draft. China has produced three tall players who are playing or have played in the NBA. There's 7-6 Ming, 7-1 Wang Zhizhi and 6-11 Mengke Bateer. And there are more giants headed west, according to website of the Chinese national team.
Posts: 141,428

04-19-2005, 04:30 PM	#3
tyton75 Veteran Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: KC North Casino cash: $5948386	I thought Chinese guys were supposed to be short little guys... not freaking Godzilla what kinda DNA testing to the REALLY have going on over there!?!?
Posts: 3,274

04-19-2005, 04:33 PM	#4
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3318491 VARSITY	7-9 is really amazing. It wasn't that long ago that a seven-footer was rare. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,428

04-19-2005, 04:57 PM	#5
ChiefsCountry The Insider Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Lake of the Ozarks Casino cash: $2318752	Man I can't wait to see Lebron or Kobe or T-Mac dunk over this goofy dude.
Posts: 49,606

04-19-2005, 05:36 PM	#6
Saulbadguy When a nightmare becomes real Join Date: Nov 2003 Casino cash: $2636966	Manute Bol was 7-7. This guy is almost 7-9. You can't coach 7-9. __________________ http://www.goemaw.com
Posts: 46,965