HoopsHype.com Rumors

Last month, NBA commissioner David Stern said preseason games will be staged in the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Beijing this October. Despite Jeremy Lin’s friendship with Shanghai Sharks owner Yao Ming, the Knicks will not be selected as one of the teams playing in China, The Post has learned. Indications are the Knicks, if they re-sign Lin as expected, are being saved for a preseason bonanza in 2013, when the NBA could visit Taiwan. Lin’s parents are of Taiwanese descent. Lin is the first NBA player of Chinese or Taiwanese descent. The Knicks may return to Saratoga for training camp this fall. New York Post

New York Knicks, Yao Ming, David Stern, Jeremy Lin, China 

Chinese basketball icon Yao Ming has signed a book deal with Britain's Opus Media Group for a limited-edition volume on his illustrious career, the publisher said. Yao, who retired from the NBA's Houston Rockets last year, became one of the world's most recognisable sports stars through his court play and his many commercial sponsorships. Straits Times

Yao Ming 

In a recent interview with Xinhua published on April 12th, Yao talked about his decision to sue Wuhan Yunhe, Jordan’s case against Qiaodan and the future of Chinese sportswear brands which “happen” to be identical with names of sports celebrities. “Behind my name is my experience, and my blood, sweat and pain. I take this very seriously, and that’s why I’ve decided to defend my rights,” said Yao. “I am confident that Michael Jordan and many others like us feel the same way. And it’s important to help everyone understand this in order to protect consumers and stop companies that are purposefully misleading them.” NiuBBall.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Yao Ming, Michael Jordan, Law, China 

Though Yao officially sued Wuhuan Yunhe in May 2011, the case actually started in 2003 while he was playing for the Houston Rockets after the sportswear company attempted to use a “Yao Ming Generation” trademark on its shoes and clothes. Unsure whether or not to take the issue to court for fear of further encouraging copyright infringement, Yao ultimately decided to file a lawsuit once Wuhan Yunhe expanded its sales nationwide. Yao won and the company was ordered to pay a RMB 300,000 fine. But Yao and his legal team elected to appeal because the settlement figure was deemed not high enough. “After winning the ‘Yao Ming Era’ case in the first ruling, we chose to appeal, because we thought a RMB 300,000 fine was not sufficient to punish or deter. The manufacturer would still think the price paid for law violation is low”, said Yao. NiuBBall.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Yao Ming, Michael Jordan, Law, China 

Jordan’s case is still pending in Shanghai Second Intermediate Court. Yao also had words for these types of infringement-based business models. While companies who infringe may provide short-term profits, he thinks brands will never be able to break through and create a long-term prosperity by stealing other peoples’ names. “Although a settlement is yet to be made, it tells us a piece of truth – that is, to obtain vitality, an enterprise must be innovative. I remember an advertisement slogan which goes ‘it has always been imitated but never outshone’. If businesses continue to refuse innovation, they will fall into the awkward situation of “always imitating others and never being able to outshine,” Yao said while laughing. “Rules are everywhere. Sports have rules and so does business. Only when everyone plays by the rules can we have positive competition and realize sound development. Therefore, relevant laws and regulations need improvements as well.” NiuBBall.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Yao Ming, Michael Jordan, Law, China 

After retiring from the NBA last year, Ming has enrolled in a Shanghai university, purchased his old Chinese basketball team (the Shanghai Sharks), joined a Shanghai political advisory body and maintained a strong connection to his charitable foundation helping children affected by earthquakes in western China. He also has been working on his wine venture, with the release of the Yao Ming 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($280) and the Yao Ming Napa Valley Family Reserve label ($790) last year. Ming is hoping that he can play a role in the continuing growth of China’s wine market. “Wine represents a culture,” Yao said in an interview in Shanghai. “We drink a lot. But maybe we just have a different drinking culture here. My favorite thing is to have a glass of wine with a book in hand, maybe some music, sitting on the couch on a weekend,” he said. “In China in the last few years, everybody has gotten so busy. Especially in Shanghai and the big cities. Wine,” he said, “can slow you down. It can bring peace.” Haute Living Magazine

Yao Ming 

The two equipment managers walked along with arms filled by about a half-dozen extra-extra-long crutches and enough jumbo plastic boots to immobilize an army marching to a cadence of: "Fee-fi-fo-fum!" It was both a comical and bittersweet sight as Yao Ming soon followed them down the hallway. For the first time since he announced his premature retirement from the NBA last summer, Yao returned to his adopted hometown without so much as a limp. "Good enough for walking, but not good enough for playing basketball games," he said of his achy-breaky feet. NBA.com

Houston Rockets, Yao Ming 

"I feel pleased that I can have a career playing in Houston. It's been a great team I played with, great fans ... I grew my family here and I also grew myself mentally from a young boy. Basically this city is full of my experience and my emotion." That emotion ran from jubilation to frustration, from glee to glum. His was a career that will be remembered more for promise than for proof, a budding every-night dream that always seemed to evaporate in the harsh light of morning. NBA.com

Houston Rockets, Yao Ming 

In November, he released the first-ever bottles of his new Yao Ming-branded wine, a 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, currently available only in China. In January he became a politician, a member of an advisory body to the Shanghai legislature. He is the owner of the Shanghai Sharks, his old team in the Chinese Basketball Association. Yet he misses the game. "A lot. A lot," Yao said. A game and those fragile feet that had carried him so far dropped him off short of the fulfillment of a championship. "We had this chance before," he said. "We missed it. There's no if. We just need to face ourselves and say we did our best and walk away." NBA.com

Houston Rockets, Yao Ming 

A door opened at the other end of the hallway and a player in a purple uniform turned and gave him a wave. "Who was that?" Yao asked. "Metta World Peace," someone told him. "Who?" "You knew him as Ron Artest." Yao Ming shook his head and grinned. "Things change," he said. NBA.com

Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Yao Ming, Metta World Peace 

Yao Ming has listed for sale a six-bedroom, 7.5-bath home at 430 Thamer Lane in Hunters Creek Village for $3.99 million. The 11,838-square-foot home was built in 1992. It is valued at $3.15 million. Tommy Mar of Dakon Realty is the listing agent. Ultimate Memorial

Yao Ming 

On Saturday, deputy commissioner Adam Silver said talks are ongoing to bring preseason games to China, specifically Shanghai, this fall. That would mean the Knicks, with global sensation Jeremy Lin, are likely headed to the Far East come October. Lin and Shanghai Sharks owner Yao Ming are close. Silver was in Shanghai two weeks ago. “I attended a Shanghai Sharks game with Yao,’’ Silver said. “We also met with the municipal government and are in discussions now about bringing an NBA preseason game or multiple games back to China next fall.’’ New York Post

New York Knicks, Yao Ming, Jeremy Lin, China, Adam Silver 

Q: Favorite New York City things? Jeremy Lin: The energy of the city, and playing in the Garden. Q: Spike Lee? A: He’s very encouraging, and I’m very thankful for that, and obviously he’s a big part of New York basketball. Q: Athletes you admire? A: (Tim) Tebow. Yao Ming — he’s an unbelievable guy ... on and off the court. I think what athletes do off the court is more impressive to me than what they do on the court. New York Post

New York Knicks, Yao Ming, Jeremy Lin 

Yao certainly knows what it’s like to be an international basketball phenomenon. The 7-6 center was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 draft, was an eight-time NBA All-Star, and starred in a Super Bowl commercial for Visa with Yankees legend Yogi Berra. Lin and Yao first met in 2010, when Lin, whose father is from Taipei, played in a charity all-star game Yao was hosting in Beijing. “When he played, I was impressed,” Yao said. “I liked his game.” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Yao Ming, Jeremy Lin 

And Yao likes what he’s seeing from Lin — who is averaging 24.4 ppg and 9.1 apg over the Knicks’ seven-game winning streak — even more. “If he keeps playing like this, he could be an All-Star, don’t you think?” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Yao Ming, Jeremy Lin 

Mr. Shoemaker noted that the NBA’s ratings have rebounded recently, increasing 39% over last year even before Lin — the American- born son of Taiwanese immigrants — started turning heads last week. He also rejected the notion that the 6-foot-3-inch Lin could fill 7- foot-6-inch Yao’s shoes. “I would say no one of Chinese descent could ever replace Yao,” the executive said of the eight-time All-Star. “Six games in, it’s unfair to Jeremy to burden him with the weight of that comparison.” Wall Street Journal

New York Knicks, Yao Ming, Jeremy Lin, China 

The N.B.A. has estimated 300 million people in China play basketball. The retirement last year of Yao Ming, a basketball star from mainland China, deprived the N.B.A. of its main Asian draw. But Lin’s emergence has at least temporarily strengthened the league as a centerpiece of Chinese online chatter. The highest-level fan may be Vice President Xi Jinping, the heir apparent to become China’s top leader for the next decade. He flew to Washington on Monday to meet President Obama on Tuesday, and told The Washington Post in a written response to questions that, “I do watch N.B.A. games on television when I have time.” New York Times

Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Yao Ming, Jeremy Lin, China 

Yes, Yao Ming had known all about the Asian-American in the Ivy League, and this had been a natural way to ease into a conversation. “Jeremy asked a lot about Yao, and we talked about him,” Morey said. Yet, the discussion shifted into something far more pressing, far heavier on Lin’s mind. This was the spring of his senior year at Harvard, and a question hung heavily on his mind. All these fringe prospects had come to Portsmouth to impress NBA scouts, to maybe get drafted, and Lin confided to Morey a most real fear. “He was so unsure,” Morey said. “He wondered if he would even get an invite to a training camp.” Yahoo! Sports

Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Yao Ming, Jeremy Lin 

“Even if he stayed here, we probably wouldn’t have recognized his talent as much as we should’ve,” Morey said. “He probably wouldn’t have played much at all, and then would’ve been released at the end of the year. I didn’t know he could play this well, and if I did, we would’ve kept him.” Yahoo! Sports

Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Yao Ming, Jeremy Lin 

Yao Ming attempted to sign Knicks point guard sensation Jeremy Lin to play for his Shanghai Sharks during the NBA lockout, but was unsuccessful, two league sources told The Post. Lin, who helped the Knicks beat the Timberwolves last night, 100-98, has had a close bond with Yao since playing in Yao’s charity basketball games in Taiwan and Beijing in August 2010. New York Post

New York Knicks, Yao Ming, Jeremy Lin, China