By Dan Altman
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

It all started May 19, in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Represented by star player Steve Francis, the Houston Rockets secured the number one draft pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, and gave themselves the option of selecting Chinese superstar Yao Ming.

With only an 8.9 percent chance of grabbing the first selection, the Rockets immediately brought a buzz to Houston basketball that the city has not seen since the days of Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. Rockets fans now found themselves studying Yao Ming, watching his every move-for this player is to be the savior of Houston Rockets basketball.

It was no surprise when the Rockets selected the 7-foot-5-inch Chinese center with the first pick overall, and thus passed on a plethora of college talent ranging from Duke guard Jason Williams to Maryland forward Chris Wilcox. With his outstanding size, athleticism and shooting ability, the former Shanghai Shark proved too much to pass up for Rockets' coach Rudy Tomjanovich.

After weeks of anticipation and negotiations with the Chinese government, Yao Ming finally arrived in Houston, with his new Rocket teammates. However, this is where all the trouble began.

Sure, Yao Ming averaged 29.7 points, 18.5 rebounds and 4.8 blocks per game. Yes, he has been playing professionally since the age of 17 and has even won two Asian Basketball Association titles, in 1999 and 2001; but this is the NBA, more than 6,000 miles from China. Tomjanovich has decided to take a different route with the 22-year-old Chinese player, bringing him along slowly.

"He is going through the worst kind of situation you can put a player in," Tomjanovich told ESPN.

What many fans and publicists are forgetting is that Yao Ming has only lived in the United States for one month. Not only is he adapting to the most competitive basketball league in the world, but also to a new way of life.

Sure, so far Yao Ming has spent more time talking to reporters than playing basketball, but that will change. In the future Yao Ming will, hopefully, spend a lot of time talking to reporters about Rockets' victories.

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