Yao Ming’s arrival on the NBA stage in 2002 was one that drew a lot of interest around the league. Some felt he could be a force, with the kind of touch he had for a man his size, while others felt he would be over-matched. The 7’5″ giant from China had a slow start to life in the NBA, but after a month or so in the league, he started to come into his own.
His biggest challenge in that rookie year wouldn’t come until January when Yao had to face Shaquille O’Neal, who was coming off 3 straight Finals MVP awards. O’Neal had stirred some controversy by making some questionable remarks about Yao previously, which led to him being accused of racism, to which he apologized. That led to some added tension in their first meeting and if O’Neal had underestimated his Chinese counterpart before the game, he very quickly found out that Yao was capable of hanging with him, as he dominated their early exchanges.
Ming blocked 3 shots from Shaq while also scoring thrice on the other end as he overwhelmed O’Neal early on. Shaq being Shaq meant he composed himself and started doing what he always used to back then, which is dominating the game. He would finish with 31 points on 13-26 shooting, but the Rockets still ended up winning the game in overtime.
Yao would cool off after this hot start as he ended the game with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 blocks, but he had made quite the first impression and gained O’Neal’s respect in the process. The two could have had one of the great big man rivalries of the 2000s, but Shaq wasn’t quite the same after 2002-03 and while Ming would enjoy some success in the coming years, injuries hampered him as he only played 8 seasons in the league. It is a pity that we didn’t get to see these two giants face off more often, as it would have been a sight to behold.
