When I got traded to the Houston Rockets in 2004 I really didnt know Yao Ming. Hed been in the league a few years, wed both been to the All-Star Game and we played against each other a few times, but I had never talked to him.I didnt think he could speak any English and I was worried about that. I thought: How is this going to work?I had just won the last two scoring titles with the Orlando Magic, but I was so excited to be playing with a great big man that I knew I was going to have to work with him and feed him the ball. But to do that, we needed communication.How would I talk to him on the court? Would I have to look over at an interpreter on the bench every time we needed to say something to each other? I was thinking maybe wed have earpieces or something.When I finally met him, I realized two things: he does speak English and not only does he speak it, he has an amazing sense of humor.I loved seeing his personality come out more and more over the years as he got more comfortable in Houston. Thats how I really learned what an amazing person he is. He will sometimes just pretend he doesnt speak English -- he does that even to this day!I remember when he came to my wedding reception in 2006. My family and friends were so excited and they all wanted to take pictures and get autographs, and he pretended he couldnt understand them. I just had to sit back and laugh.Man, you never really get over his size, a guy who is 7-foot-6 and that big. Even now when we stand next to each other, I cant get over it.Thats why Yao getting into the Hall of Fame is so deserved. His skills for a man his size were just unbelievable. He could do everything. He could post up, score with either hand, shoot a jumper, he had an array of moves. He could block shots. He passed so well and thats so rare for a guy his size.?Id never played with a big man of his caliber. I didnt know he was that skilled before I came to the Rockets, but then I saw it every day in practice, every day before games, after games. He really put in the work to perfect his craft -- he even took our technical foul shots because he was that great of a free throw shooter.He had a mean streak, too. Youd see it come out whenever hed get dunked on.Then there was Yaos impact on the global game. You have to understand, before him, basketball wasnt popular in China. I had made trips there before he came into the league, and there was basketball, but it wasnt a part of the Chinese culture.Now, theres over 300 million people in China playing because of Yao Ming.I saw it. I felt it. That is his legacy. He brought NBA basketball to China and I will forever be thankful that I was able to be a part of it. He introduced the country to Tracy McGrady.?We were their heroes. They didnt see Michael Jordan play, they saw us. They saw Yao.In 2007, there was a game we played in Houston against the Milwaukee Bucks when they had former No. 6 overall pick and fellow Chinese star, Yi Jianlian. It was just a regular-season game, but 200 million people watched in China.Thats Yaos impact. I was in awe.When I think of the six seasons we played together, it hurts. Its tough for me to speak about even now. We never got a fair chance because of injuries.We couldve had a championship team, Yao and me. We had several great opportunities. There were times when we were thriving. But we could never be healthy; its so unfortunate. The one year we had the team -- wed gotten Luis Scola, Shane Battier, Kyle Lowry, Carl Landry, Ron Artest -- I was thinking that was the year.Then I blew out my knee. I was devastated. That team was so good. The guys beat the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round and we were in a battle with the?Los Angeles Lakers?in the second round when Yao broke his foot. That was our?year.What if. So many what ifs.We still had some great memories. We hosted the All-Star Game in Houston together and we both addressed the crowd before the game and he spoke in English, Ill always remember that. It was awesome.We had a 22-game winning streak in 2007-08, the fourth-longest run in NBA history. Even then, Yao got hurt after the 12th win. If we had something to hold onto, thats it. When we were both healthy, we really were great together.Yao is truly a great and humble person. You just cant recognize his accomplishments on the court without seeing his kindness and humbleness off it. I am proud to call Yao my friend.He opened so many doors. He personally put me in position to have a life after basketball. Im so lucky to have had a chance to know him, play with him and to work with him. He has a legacy very few have, and he has been and will continue to be a great influence.Its what he does, its who he is. Cheap Air Force 1 Shoes Wholesale . Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced Wednesday that the team would assign Swedish forward Elias Lindholm to his nations team for the upcoming tournament. Cheap Air Force Ones For Sale . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. http://www.airforceforsalecheap.com/ . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. Nike Air Force 1 Cheap Outlet . -- Nathan Pancel scored twice as the Sudbury Wolves defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-2 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Air Force 1 . -- Team after team passed on Andre Ellington in the draft. AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Star flyhalf Dan Carter has again been forced by injury to miss an All Blacks test against France, conceding the No.10 jersey to Aaron Cruden for Saturdays first test at Eden Park. Carter suffered a cracked bone in his hand during a Super Rugby match last weekend and was omitted on Thursday from the All Blacks lineup for the match; the first meeting between the teams since New Zealands 8-7 win in the 2011 World Cup final. A serious groin injury forced Carter to miss that match, also handing the starting role to Cruden who in turn suffered a severe knee injury and was replaced. The All Blacks lineup named by coach Steve Hansen includes two uncapped players on the bench -- Hurricanes lock Jeremy Thrush and Chiefs prop Ben Afeaki. Hooker Dane Coles has been awarded his first test start, ahead of veterans Keven Mealamu and Andrew Hore, after making four previous test appearances off the bench. Mealamu has been named as reserve. Utility back Ben Smith, who has also played at centre and fullback, has been named on the right wing, allowing the New Zealand selectors to play the out-of-form Israel Dagg at fullback. The lineup is notable for the number of players chosen despite poor form during the Super Rugby season. Cruden will play outside scrumhalf Aaron Smith and inside centre Maa Nonu, both of whom have struggled to command starting places for the Dunedin-based Highlanders, the last-placed team in Super Rugby. Nonu will play his 77th test, renewing his long-standing midfield combination with 66-test veteran Conrad Smith, to provide the nucleus of a backline that is otherwise light on experience. Julian Savea has been named on the left wing for his 10th test match after a disrupted season during which he has appeared in court on charges of domestic violence. Kieran Read will captain the team from No. 8 in his 49th test and in the absence of Richie McCaw, who is taking a "sabbatical" from top rugby and wont return until the Rugby Championships iin August.dddddddddddd Sam Cane will start in McCaws place on the openside flank. Luke Romano and Brodie Retallick, who share 24 test appearances, will combine in the second row as New Zealands only fit and experienced locking partnership. An injury to Sam Whitelock and the retirement of Ali Williams left Romano and Retallick as guaranteed starters and fast-tracked Thrush into the test lineup when the selectors next candidate, Dominic Bird, was also injured. Coles will start at hooker between Crusaders prop Owen Franks and Wyatt Crockett while two looseheads, Ben Franks and Afeaki, have been included on the bench. Tawera Kerr-Barlow has been named as the scrumhalf reserve in place of Piri Weepu who has a concussion while Beauden Barrett will understudy Cruden. Auckland Blues centre Rene Ranger could play his first test in three years if he gets a call from the bench. "Though the week has been disrupted with injury and illness, we have still been able to have a good weeks preparation and there is no doubting that our two (training) camps have been invaluable in assisting with this," Hansen said. "To their credit, everyone has worked hard off the field and we couldnt be happier." ------------ New Zealand: Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Maa Nonu, Julian Savea, Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (captain), Sam Kane, Liam Messam, Brodie Retallick, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Wyatt Crocket. Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks, Ben Afeaki, Jeremy Thrush, Victor Vito, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Rene Ranger. 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