Yao reaches breaking point at Olympics
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

ATHENS, Greece -- With the game horribly lost, Yao Ming set up to draw a charge as if his mood needed the accompaniment of pain.

Pau Gasol smashed into Yao, with both crashing to the floor. Yao was called for his fifth foul and leaped to his feet, marching angrily toward the official before stomping off the court and throwing himself into the bench with a show of anger he has rarely demonstrated with the Rockets or Chinese national team.

Then on his way off the court, he let loose.

"I feel so disappointed I lost all my hopes for this team," Yao said to the official Olympic reporter before reaching the rest of the media. "I didn't expect to play so bad. We changed our skin, but we are the same, just like the World Championships in Indianapolis two years before.

"I didn't play well also. I am thinking to retire from the national team. Not now, but soon I will."

Spain stomped China 83-58 on Sunday, setting China basketball back to where it was before Yao's NBA journey, before the influx of hope with younger, more talented teammates, and before the call for coaching help that brought in Del Harris.

Yao had already barked at teammate Menke Bateer, who, when not launching 3-pointers, had been playing defense like one of Harris' Mavericks. Yao had ripped into teammates who ignored Harris' instructions. He had broken with Chinese protocol that says every player is to be treated as an interchangeable, equal part and that decorum is valued.

"Two years ago, we lost to South Korea (in the Asian championships)," Yao said. "At that time, I was disappointed, but not as disappointed as this time. At that time, the China national team included a lot of old players. There was still hope there that new players would come in and bring new blood.

"Two years later, it's the same. Think about those old players staying at home watching TV. Think about how they feel about this game. If they played today, it would not be that bad."

Yao's frustration was so evident that he was even asked if it was inappropriate, a question that would rarely be directed at anyone else in the NBA and that prompted an answer unlike anyone else's.

"If you don't die in silence," Yao said, quoting Lu Xun, one of the most revered Chinese writers, "you will explode in silence."

So Yao exploded before the frustration killed him.

He did look as if he had to let it out.

"He was a little upset the players forgot some of the plays and forgot from the timeout to the court what we said we were going to do," Harris said. "We had several breakdowns of guys not doing what we said we were going to do. He told me there was a possibility of that happening in games here. After the game was over, he said, 'Coach, I told you.'

"He was yelling at the players. That was what he was talking about. I don't know what he said, but I know what he was mad about. He was basically saying, `(When) the coach calls something, you run it.' "

China had its usual trouble with any form of defensive pressure. The Chinese made just 11 of 36 shots inside the 3-point line, rarely getting into their offense before the shot clock was into its final seconds and almost never getting into the lane.

Yao was entirely outplayed by Gasol, who had 21 points and 10 rebounds in his 30 minutes. Yao made four of 11 shots for 12 points, adding eight rebounds and seven turnovers.

"I think Yao Ming was too much of a team player today," Harris said. "They of course surrounded him pretty heavily, and he gave up the ball more than I would have liked. I would have rather he had taken more shots and drawn more fouls.

"He told me yesterday, `Coach, I don't know why people don't want to feel pride in representing their country. I feel so much pride representing my country, I would not think of not doing it.' "

But the pride Yao felt Saturday was wounded on Sunday, and that hurt much more than any charge.
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