It is only two weeks into the NBA season, meaning that it’s definitely way too early to be discussing potential MVP candidates. Right?

Of course it isn’t. In fact, no one would blame you for pondering who has a chance at taking home the league’s most prestigious individual award in the upcoming season as soon as the winner of the current one is handed that unmatched piece of hardware.

That is just the nature of the ever – and sometimes overly – analytical fan; they have no problem moving onto the next one before the dust of what’s just occurred has even any resemblance of a chance to settle.

There are always the obvious choices, which include the likes of Kobe Bryant, who has one MVP to his name as he begins his 17th season; Kevin Durant, who is still seeking his first despite winning the last three regular season scoring titles; and LeBron James, who is the reigning MVP, has won three out of the last four, and even added a Finals MVP trophy to his collection in June when he silenced all his critics with one of the more dazzling championship performances ever witnessed.

Then there are also the likes of Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony - you get the point.

These are the types of players that everyone expects to be in that conversation towards the end of the season. They are the superstars that at times make the game look easier than opening a door.

But there is someone else out there who has a very solid chance of not only finding himself right in the middle of the discussion, but also of going home with the award if he does.

His name is James Harden.

Essentially a household name after last year, a year in which he won the Kia Sixth Man of the Year award, Harden was traded before the season opener to the Houston Rockets after three seasons complementing Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City as both an early backup and deadly threat late in games with the Thunder.

Harden, only 23, has shown gradual improvement with each passing season, and proved during 2011-2012 while averaging 16.8 points per game that he could be flat-out unstoppable whenever he desires to be.

He did have monumental struggles in The Finals against James’ Miami Heat, but it’s easy to remember that that was the same exact case with James himself in the previous Finals. And as we can easily remember once again, James was just fine the next time around.

While Harden may not be James, A.K.A. the best basketball player on the face of the Earth, that doesn’t mean that he does not possess the skill necessary to be the league’s Most Valuable Player. In Houston he is finally part of a team where his experience, combined with an abundance of youth around him ill allow him to be the go-to guy every time out, as opposed to being a third option if Durant or Westbrook are being hugged like boxers that are pummeling their opponents.

The Rockets also expressed this same superstar faith in Harden, immediately locking him up and making him the franchise player with the max five year, $80 million contract that he was eligible coming out of his original rookie deal.

He did not give anyone a chance to question whether or not he was worth those kinds of figures, dropping 37 points in his Rockets debut and setting a new career high with a 45 point encore two nights later. Obviously he won’t average those types of numbers throughout the season, but anywhere between the 25 and 28 point per game mark, along with leading a young Rockets squad to their first postseason appearance since the 2008-2009 campaign, could be enough for Harden to be awarded the honor of MVP.

Having a point guard with the vision and keen passing ability of the also newly acquired Jeremy Lin will add some more edge to Harden’s game as well. Westbrook, as was a huge topic of discussion throughout last year’s Finals, was not and is not the prototypical point guard whose first option is to set up his teammates. Lin has made it clear that he’s the night to Westbrook’s day in that regard.

Keep an eye on James Harden. The sun may only still be rising on the 2012-2013 season, but the MVP discussion is just too fun to wait around for.

Image Courtesy : James Harden

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The extremely competitive Western Conference has been busy this off-season, with players finding new homes, and other players resigning with their current teams.

The biggest move thus far in the West belongs to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers acquired veteran guard Steve Nash in exchange for two first-round picks, two-second round picks, and cash. The addition of Nash helps the Lakers continue to be dominant in the West. Kobe Bryant no longer needs constant control of the ball; Nash will help get whoever is on the court involved, especially young center Andrew Bynum. Bynum is coming off his best year of his career. The addition of Nash will help the powerful center improve even more. A healthy Lakers team could possibly make a run to the finals next season.

The Phoenix Suns took a significant step back with the loss of Nash. They did however rebounded with the signing of Goran Dragic.  Dragic signed a four-year $30 million deal that could increase to $34 million due to player option as well as bonus options. Dragic will have serious shoes to fill but will start for the Sun next season. The Yugoslavian-born point guard is coming off his best career season, averaging 11.7 points per game, and 5.3 assists per game while only starting 28 games for Houston. The Suns also picked up Luis Scola, which definitely improves their front court.

The Houston Rockets have welcomed back point guard Jeremy Lin to a three-year $25 million deal. Lin officially became a member of the Rockets after the Knicks did not match Houston’s offer. Lin will start in Houston and have a huge impact, especially after the departure of both Goran Dragic and Kyle Lowry

Los Angeles Clippers were able to re-sign guard Chauncey Billups. The five-time All-Star was off to a good start, until his season was cut short after tearing his left Achilles tendon. They also signed guard Jamal Crawford, who will have an impact, especially with the departure of Nick Young and Mo Williams. In a multi-team deal, the Clippers also landed Lamar Odom. Odom is coming from Dallas, off the worst season of his career.

Minnesota Timberwolves have made some moves that will help improve their young talented squad. They signed guard Brandon Roy to a two-year $10.4 million deal. Roy, who retired earlier in December due to knee problems, is attempting a comeback. Although Roy may not be explosive or effective right away, the youngster could potentially restore his career. In addition, the Wolves acquired Chase Budinger from Houston in exchange for the #18th pick of the draft.

The Sacramento Kings have added guard Aaron Brooks to a two year deal, approximately worth $6.6 million. Brooks will have to work for his playing time, especially after the great play of Isaiah Thomas. Also the addition of Brooks has guard Jimmer Fredette’s playing time up in the air. The kings have tons of options to choose from to run the court next season.

After being knocked out in the first round of the playoffs, the Dallas Mavericks have attempted to piece some players together, which  they hope will help in getting back atop the Western Conference. Dallas signed, center Chris Kaman to a one year $8 million deal. Kaman will start in Dallas and will likely improve being next to Dirk Nowitzki. Dallas also signed forward Elton Brand as a back-up for both Dirk and Kaman. Dallas was also able to replace Jason Kidd with Darren Collison,  who joined the Mavs via trade along with Dahntay Jones. The Mavs also picked up guard O.J. Mayo, who will be an important young asset after the departure of Jason Terry.

One of the more exciting young teams to watch next season in the West will be the New Orleans Hornets. The Hornets were able to re-sign young guard Eric Gordon. The Hornets matched the Suns’ four-year $58 million offer in order to retain the essential playmaker. The Hornets were also able to acquire forward Ryan Anderson from Orlando via trade, as well as center Brad Miller via trade from Minnesota. Although these signings may not make people say whoa, let’s not forget the Hornets drafted Anthony Davis, as well as Austin Rivers, and could be a team of the future.

As for the San Antonio Spurs, who finished with the first seed in the Western Conference, they were able to re-sign Boris Diaw, Tim Duncan, Danny Green, and Patrick Mills.

Although the Western Conference did not have as many moves as the East, essential changes have been made for several teams in their efforts to improve.

Click here,for more free agents deals and signings.

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Now that the Brooklyn Nets are reportedly bringing back center Brook Lopez with a max contract of four years and $60 million, Orlando Magic All Star center Dwight Howard has to be feeling like that painfully adorable puppy at the pet store that everyone instantly falls in love with, but unfortunately cannot afford.

Even when the Nets attempted to involve other teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers in the trade discussions with Orlando, nothing seemed to completely satisfy the Magic’s desires.

It’s hard to fathom how things suddenly came to an abrupt halt for the Nets once they agreed to terms with Lopez. The consensus throughout the majority of this process was that they would eventually get the Howard deal done one way or another due to the combination of his vehement demand to be traded to Brooklyn before an upcoming contract season and his reported refusal to sign a long-term extension with any other team the Magic might trade him to.

If Howard really wasn’t going to give a verbal agreement to interested teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks, there was no way the Nets transaction wasn’t going to go down at some point this offseason. However, now enters the collective bargaining agreement, which prohibits Brooklyn from trading Lopez after signing this deal until January 15^th.

If Howard isn’t headed to a different city before then, then the rumors will likely re-surface once again somewhere around the holiday season. And to think, that’s supposed to be the happiest time of year!

But what if Howard is shipped off somewhere else beforehand, thus ending any possibility of him opening up the brand new Barclays Center in Brooklyn?

Well, Nets fans need not lose sleep over such a scenario taking place, because it really wouldn’t be as heartbreaking as it would initially seem. As insane as it may sound, this team would instead be better off without trading for him.

Heat stars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh aren’t the only ones to prove that great players like themselves are capable of winning a world championship if they decide to join forces the way they did in the Summer of 2010. Nope. We can’t forget that Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce – all future Hall of Famers – were the original “Big Three” back in 2007, and that they also won it all during their era.

That’s where the NBA is headed, whether you’re in favor of it or not; which is exactly why the star-studded Lakers added Steve Nash this offseason, why the New York Knicks brought in Carmelo Anthony to join Amar’e Stoudemire a little over a season ago, and why adding Dwight Howard to a starting lineup that has two of the league’s most skilled players in Deron Williams and Joe Johnson would have sounded like Heaven for the people of Brooklyn.

On paper, the idea of putting the only three-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner in league history, and arguably best center in the game today, in Howard, alongside Williams and Johnson, who have combined for eight All Star appearances, sounds like an absolutely unstoppable force. There’s nothing far-fetched about that belief whatsoever.

The issue, however, lies in Howard’s market value. Rumors had the Nets trading pieces such as Lopez, Marshon Brooks, Kris Humphries and several first round draft picks in exchange for Howard’s services.

These assets aren’t worth dealing when the foundation of the Nets is already built on stars such as Williams and Johnson. The organization can also use the truckload of money they were going to give Howard to sign quality veterans that will comprise the bench.

Last year’s injuries have turned Lopez into a forgotten man, and wrongfully so. Until the 2011-2012 season – where he was only able to compete in five games as a result of serious foot and ankle ailments – Lopez had not missed a single game during his first three years as a pro. Standing seven feet tall and only 24-years-old, he essentially has the skill-set of Pau Gasol, minus the superb vision and passing ability. He’s averaged a very healthy 17.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game for his career. Good health and Williams at the point could propel him into one of the top three centers in the league.

Kim Kardashian may be the reason that Humphries is globally famous, but his performance on the court should be turning NBA fans’ heads even more. Last year he was one of the few players in the league to average a double-double, with 13.8 points and 11 rebounds per game. He’s earned a reputation as a solid player who doesn’t hold anything back on either end. Currently a free agent, he expects a big payday in the near future, and the Nets almost certainly wouldn’t mind signing that check if they are financially capable.

In his rookie season last year, Brooks at times displayed an ability to score at will. He posted an average of 12.6 points and nearly a steal per game in about 29 minutes a night. Bringing in Johnson and Gerald Wallace will probably reduce him to a sixth man role, but having a growing scorer like him in that spot could turn out great for a team with a thin bench like Brooklyn.

Howard may be one cute puppy, but not worth giving up all your other cool pets for.

Image Courtesy of  Keith Allison

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With rumors surfacing over the last few weeks regarding a potential return to the Los Angeles Lakers for veteran forward Lamar Odom, there is one technicality that might end up making the reunion between the two sides nothing more than an unrealistic fantasy for Lakers fans.

That would be the NBA’s new rule that prohibits players from returning to their old teams as free agents less than a calendar year after that team has dealt them away in a trade.

As the postseason embarks upon its final stage, many have probably forgotten about the messy labor dispute that was not resolved until December, thus shortening the regular season campaign to a compacted 66 game schedule.

Once the new collective bargaining agreement was finally agreed upon, this new rule concerning the actual freedom of these free agents was implemented so that they would not simply be able to negotiate buyouts of their contracts with their new teams – as they so often did in salary cap-based trades – and rejoin their previous squad only a month later.

In a move that was heavily scrutinized at the time, the Lakers traded Odom to the Dallas Mavericks on December 11^th for a first round draft pick. Los Angeles would go on to send that pick to the Houston Rockets at the trade deadline in the deal that gave them long-time Laker guard Derek Fisher in exchange for forward Jordan Hill.

Odom, 32, immediately demanded that Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak trade him after Commissioner David Stern rescinded a blockbuster three-team deal between the Lakers, Rockets and the then-owned New Orleans Hornets that would have had him playing in the Big Easy.

Plagued by a rough offseason filled with personal issues that were non-basketball related, Odom did not appear to give the Mavs a whole-hearted effort this season. Averaging only 6.6 points per game, he had the worst scoring season of his career and was deactivated by Dallas with about a month remaining.

Having been a Laker since being acquired from the Miami Heat in the 2004 Shaquille O’Neal trade, many believe that Odom left his heart in Los Angeles, which may have also played a major role in his dreadful stint with the defending world champion Mavs.

The popular belief is that Dallas will buy out Odom sometime this month for $2.4 million, making him an unrestricted free agent. But despite the fact that he would be eligible to return to the Lakers on December 11^th – that is, if the chatter is true and both sides are willing to try things out again – sources close to Odom say he would not be willing to miss about six weeks of action leading up to then, which would shut the door on the discussion before it could ever even really open.

In seven seasons with the Lakers, Odom averaged 13.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. He was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in his final season with the team and was also a major contributor to their back-to-back NBA Finals victories over the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

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David Stern would never openly admit it to us. Nope, no commissioner would ever even publicly hint at a sense of displeasure, anger or absolute frustration regarding which franchise just received the number one pick in the upcoming draft – especially when that pick is projected to be an absolute can’t-miss superstar the way Kentucky’s Anthony Davis is.

But let’s be real about this; the New Orleans Hornets winning the NBA Draft Lottery on Wednesday night was Stern’s worst nightmare come to life.

If you compound the never before seen sequence of events that took place involving the Hornets and their elite point guard Chris Paul just before this abbreviated 66 game season got underway with the all-time historically atrocious struggles of the Charlotte Bobcats during 2012, nothing could make Stern look shadier to the league’s ever so skeptical fan base, which is now crying out conspiracy.

It all began way back in early December when Stern – thinking not as the impartial commissioner, but rather as the Hornets owner due to the league having control over the franchise at the time – shockingly pulled the plug on a blockbuster three team deal between New Orleans, the L.A. Lakers, and the Houston Rockets for what he justified as “basketball reasons.”

The trade would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers, seven foot forward Pau Gasol to the Rockets, and forward Lamar Odom, guards Goran Dragic and Kevin Martin, forward Luis Scola and the Rockets’ 2012 first round draft pick to the Hornets.

Stern expressed that the transaction was “not in the best interest of the Hornets,” but given that the pieces offered included an immediate first round pick and four players that have proven that they possess very solid NBA talent over the years, no one cared to buy that explanation.

The Lakers said they would work to sweeten the deal in order to completely appease New Orleans; however, Los Angeles’ other basketball team, the Clippers, began to show interest in acquiring Paul.

And from that very moment Stern’s level of trust amongst viewers has inevitably taken the mother of all nosedives.

At this point fans everywhere knew that if the Clippers – the most insignificant team in the Los Angeles sports scene since moving to the city only a handful of decades ago – went on to win this battle, it would be for a reason. What would it be exactly? To finally make them relevant and actually add some spice to a Lakers-Clippers ‘rivalry’ that has always been conquered by the Kobe Bryant-led purple and gold.

So when the Clippers did get Paul for guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 2012 first round draft pick, that only added fuel to their argument. How does that trade sound any better than the one the Lakers and Rockets put together? Oh, that’s right, it doesn’t. Not to mention the fact that the Hornets had to ship off two future second round picks of their own in this deal.

All that did was give the appearance that Stern was attempting to rig the power balance in the West for years to come. The Clippers had their best season in franchise history, finishing fifth in the conference at 40-26. Meanwhile, the Hornets closed out the season with a record of 21-45 – tied for third-worst in the entire league.

Gordon did only participate in nine games all year long with a bone bruise in his knee, so it’s unsure how the team would have performed with him out there consistently. However, he can leave the team this offseason as a free agent, something that should have kept the Hornets from desiring him in the first place.

Farouq Aminu only averaged an inadequate six points and 22 minutes per game this season, and Kaman’s struggles got to a point where the team discussed sending him home or releasing him.

There’s a great likelihood that the team would not have had such turmoil had they just gone through with the initial Paul trade. Odom did have the worst season of his career in 2012, as a result of personal issues stemming from both being a trade piece and a rough offseason, but other than that, Martin, Dragic, and Scola averaged 17.1, 11.7 and 15.5 points per game, respectively.

The Rockets also missed the playoffs by a mere two games, as they posted a 34-32 record.

On top of all this, the team with the worst winning percentage of all-time, the Bobcats at .106, didn’t win the draft lottery? You’re kidding, right?

Too bad Stern can’t force the Hornets to give the pick to the Bobcats. He definitely wanted to after the process made him look like a complete sham.

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It has been a few days, but fans, players, and executives alike still cannot believe what took place Thursday night. Chris Paul was finally dealt by New Orleans, and the Commissioner simply blocked the trade for what he referred to as “basketball reasons.” Let’s be honest – this move was absolutely mind-blowing and completely unfair to all three teams involved.

The majority of the outrage comes from Laker fans who thought for just a few hours that they were receiving possibly the best point guard the league has to offer. Along with the aid of the Rockets, Los Angeles gave up the necessary quality pieces in order to obtain a superstar like Paul.

Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol are two of the most versatile big men in the game today. At seven feet, Gasol is extremely athletic in the low post with the ability to shoot from the outside. Meanwhile, Odom is capable of much of the same at six foot ten, but can also take opponents off the dribble from anywhere on the floor and consistently knocks down three pointers.

The Rockets threw in some nice talent as well. Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, and Goran Dragic are viewed as players with good experience who still have room to grow into even better players. Houston was also prepared to give New Orleans a first-round pick in this trade, which is something that every team would love to have. Yet somehow David Stern did not believe this deal benefited the Hornets enough.

That notion is beyond comprehension. The teams have now modified the deal and resubmitted it for approval, according to ESPN. If this is successful, it will not be due to the fact that it is now substantial to the Hornets’ needs, however. On the contrary, it will have resulted from Stern’s inability to handle even more pressure and heat that most of the observing parties will put upon him.

The small market owners who originally complained to him after this deal was initially reported will still be upset regardless. That has to be what all of this really boils down to in the end. The idea of all-stars joining forces to create ‘super teams’ is exciting for fans in those cities, but saddening for the rest of the league when the competition realistically includes just a handful of franchises.

Stern understands that, but it should not give him the right to cancel a trade that general managers worked vigorously to complete in a just manner, even if the league does own the team like they do the Hornets. There is a certain amount of control that the league has over players, but when negotiations are executed in a proper fashion they should not prohibit them from walking. Paul has done nothing wrong and does not deserve to be punished by being forced to stay with a team that he clearly wants to leave.

What Stern does not realize is that Paul is actually making the morally correct decision in this situation. He has openly admitted that he will opt out of his contract this summer and sign elsewhere. The popular belief is that, if this were to happen, he would then sign with the Knicks. By doing this, he at least gives the Hornets the opportunity to trade him in his contract year and get something for him.

The biggest risk that Stern takes in blocking this trade is held in the hands of the Lakers and Knicks. These are the only two teams that Paul states he would sign extensions with if traded. What happens if the Lakers suddenly get a better deal with the Magic in exchange for Dwight Howard and decide that Paul is not worth it or realize they do not have enough for him?

The Knicks do not have the necessary assets, unlike the Lakers, and this could lead to a nightmare scenario where Paul does not get traded at all this year. That would then allow him the option to sign with either team over the off-season, leaving the Hornets with nothing in return.

Unfortunately, Stern made the assumption that something like this could never occur. However, one of the only things we know in life is that we can never be too sure. To put it bluntly, he made an atrociously risky decision with false reasoning as support. This is inexcusable, even if the new deal is approved.

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Within a few hours of a blockbuster deal was approved to send all-star guard Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers, David Stern and NBA league office blocked the trade.

The purposed deal was a three team trade between the New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets. The deal would have landed Paul with the Lakers, sent Pau Gasol to the Rockets, and given the Hornets Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Lamar Odom, Goran Dragic, and a 2012 first-round pick from Houston.

NBA analysts across the nation are confused by the trade being blocked by the league office, as this seemed like the best way to solve Paul’s contract situation. The popular thinking is that if the deal was approved, the Hornets would at least be able to replace Paul with quality pieces instead of getting nothing in return.

Paul can opt out of his contract at the end of the season becoming a free agent, which allows him to sign to any team that is willing to make him an offer. Paul is on record stating that he would not sign a contract extension with the Hornets, and would like to test the free agent waters which have shown to be very lucrative; Amare Stoudemire received 100 million over 5 years during last year’s free agent frenzy.

With so many lingering questions as to why the trade was blocked, the league has yet to make a detailed statement on the issue. This hesitation has brought about speculation that the deal was killed due to overwhelming pressure from small market owners.  That theory is gaining traction as Yahoo.com acquired an e-mail sent from Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert to David Stern.

In the e-mail Gilbert states,”It would be a travesty to allow the Lakers to acquire Chris Paul in the apparent trade being discussed. This trade should go to a vote of the 29 owners of the Hornets.”

This issue is further muddied by the fact that the NBA owns the New Orleans Hornets. It is believe that the NBA league abused its power as an owner to negate this deal. The league’s stance on owning the Hornets has been that all basketball operations would be handled by the Hornet’s managerial staff without intrusion.

Paul is hoping that the seemingly obvious intrusion can be deemed illegal as he is looking to pursue legal action, with the help of NBPA director Billy Hunter, against the NBA. The NBA has just gotten over one of the worst PR nightmares in the form of the 2011 lockout just to jump in the middle of another one. To make matters worse, there are reports that both Paul and Odom will not attend training camp which is scheduled to open on December 9^th.

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Yao Ming retired last week after nine seasons with the Houston Rockets. Yao was a force both on and off the court, revolutionizing the game of basketball, and yet many hall of fame voters are merely on the fence about him getting in.

Yao came into the league as the tallest player ever to grace an NBA court, standing an uncanny 7-foot-6. This alone was going to make opposing teams create a specific game-plan to guard him, but it didn’t stop there.

He influenced an entire country to become fans of such an American-driven sport. Chinese culture had never been strongly tied to basketball, but now we see more and more Chinese players growing up playing, and trying to get into the NBA to follow in Yao’s gigantic footsteps. He is a true ambassador.

Though these two facets of his game indeed made him an incredibly popular player, and very important to the Houston Rockets for having so much economic value, his on the court game was nothing to ignore.

When he first came into the league, he was somewhat feared because of his height, and yet wasn’t expected to be as much of a force as other centers because of his scrawny build. The word soft was thrown around in his presence. But that was 2002, and this is 2011.

Yao was an incredibly intelligent player, knowing how to use his height to the best of his advantages. He had an extremely efficient post game, throwing up unblockable hook shots with both hands whenever he wanted. If somebody let him get position on the block, there wasn’t much they could do to protect the goal (unless you’re Nate Robinson).

He also had a great face-up game for his size. Yao’s mid-range jumper was up there with the best in the game, even out to 20 feet, not to mention the occasional thee point attempt. He also was known to put the ball on the floor from the elbow, and with his unmatched size, one dribble would get him right by a defender and to the rim for an easy bucket. It was never easy to guard Yao.

To be fair, every hall of fame player has to perform well on both sides of the ball. The same reasons that top teams were afraid to take Jimmer Fredette too early were why Yao was often not respected as much as he should have been: defense.

Any player with his height should be able to block shots. No doubt about that, so let’s look at the stats.

As far as blocks per game went over his career, Yao landed at a respectable 1.9. For comparison, one of the greatest centers of all time, Shaquille O’ Neal, had a career average of only 2.3. Granted, Yao had 5 inches on Shaq, but the difference in jumping ability surely made up for that. Maybe people just expected too much, but that doesn’t mean his game lacked a defensive element.

Speaking of Shaq, the two gargantuan centers had countless Western Conference battles that were some of the most watched games of the time. These games were run through both giant men, each of which getting the ball in the post nearly every possession for isolation offense on one another. It will surely be a long time until fans get to see another match-up like those. Yao surely held his own, and though nobody is saying he is as good as “the diesel,” respect should surely be given.

Yao also averaged 9.2 rebounds for his career. Still think he should have grabbed more boards because of his height? Take a look at Shawn Bradley’s career numbers. He was 7-foot-5 and yet only grabbed 6.2 total rebounds per game over his twelve seasons. Too bad we never got to see those giants duke it out.

The points barely need to be talked about, everybody knows that his offensive game is surely hall quality. Even though he landed at an average of 19.0 points per game, when you factor in some of the tragic injuries that plagued him, he surely would have been a career 20-10 guy.

Hey, we also can throw in 1.6 assists per game while we’re looking. His passing was probably the most underrated part of his game.

This might be one of the tougher decisions that the hall of fame committee will have to make in the coming years. In all probability, if he never had to deal with his injuries he should have been a lock to be there, but for that matter we may have been able to say the same thing about Sam Bowie (check out the 1984 draft if you’re not familiar).

Once you throw in his intangibles, and what he meant to the game both on and off the court, this gentle giant deserves to be given his due credit one way or another. It was definitely fun to watch him play.

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