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Yao's Chinese return meets with mixed reviews

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-10-14 12:48

BEIJING - Around 17,000 Chinese basketball fans welcomed home their greatest sporting export when Yao Ming's Houston Rockets beat the New Jersey Jets in an NBA pre-season game on Wednesday night, but the towering Yao's return met with mixed reviews.

Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets stretches before his game against the New Jersey Nets in the NBA China Games series at the Wukesong Arena in Beijing October 13, 2010. The Nets and Rockets are playing in two pre-season games in China. [Photo/Agencies]

The Houston Rockets center -- who missed all of last season after suffering a fractured bone in his left foot -- triggered roars of applause every time he touched the ball in the Wukesong Arena, and notched nine points in less-than 20 minutes on court.

"Well, it's always exciting to come back to China, particularly in this arena," the 2.29 metre-tall Yao said.

"You know ... the memories are still very fresh for me when we played Olympics here."

But Yao failed to impress everyone who had shown up to see him.

"It looks like he needs to use more effort when he runs, especially at the latter part of the match," a critical He Tingting told Reuters.

Her friend Lin Jie pitched in: "He seems to be not as good as before."

Their assessment was echoed by another fan, Han Bin.

"Yao was so-so ... maybe it's because of his foot injury. More or less I think, he still couldn't move very fast," was his verdict.

Zhang Chunyan, however, was more charitable.

"Yes, of course I'm here for Yao Ming," she said. "I think he's in good shape.

"In general, he's the same as before, maybe not as strong but he's still a great player. He has always been an idol to me.

"I hope he can be better in the next season."

The Rockets and Jets will play a second China pre-season game on Saturday (Oct. 16) in Guangdong.

In 2004, the NBA became the first American professional sports league to play games in China.