Only a day away from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction, TNT commentator and former Houston Rockets head coach Jeff Van Gundy took the time to pay homage to his former player, Yao Ming.
Van Gundy is on the record for speaking highly of the Chinese international, often telling tales of his times with Yao and the things he learned about his persona.
In an interview with Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Jeff opened up about what it was like to coach the 7-foot-6 star:
“Yao was unlike anyone I had ever coached. It didn’t matter whether he had played great or poorly, whether we had won or lost,” he said. “His preparation never changed. Not one day. I can still see him in the film room with my former assistant, Tom Thibodeau, in the early mornings on a practice day.”
While Yao's numbers could easily be dwarfed by the likes of other great bigs like Wilt Chamberlain, David Robinson, and fellow inductee Shaquille O'Neal — what made him unique was his relationship with those he considered family.
“Among the hardest-working players I’ve ever been associated, Yao stands at the very top of the list,” said Van Gundy. “Beyond that, though, here’s what truly separated him from everyone else: His ability to enjoy other people’s successes.”
The Rockets center has received criticism from various outlets, saying that his induction is more based on his business influence of bringing the Chinese market that much closer to the NBA and growing the brand internationally than his merits on the court.
After a quick look at the former first overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft, no numbers stand out during his short eight-year NBA career: he did not reach 10,000 career-points, he didn't average 10 rebounds a night, and he blocked less than two shots per game despite being one of the tallest to ever play the game. No MVPs, no titles, no particular records associated to his name.
But to those that played with him and coached him, he's every bit deserving of the honor:
“There is a goodness about Yao that is unique, that never left him through all the pain and injuries and disappointments that accompanied his unprecedented accomplishments and successes,” said Van Gundy.
“When I think of him, I’ll smile. He’s a joyful, wonderful spirit, one of the best men I’ve ever known. I’ll be in Springfield to watch his induction speech, and I truly believe this: I still think his most important contributions to society, his greatest legacies, still await him in life. The great causes that he’s championed, the changes he can impact in so many people’s lives, drive him like his passions to become a great player did in the NBA.”
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