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Yao philosophy: Two's company
By Pan Xiaoyi |
February 8, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
YAO Ming is already looking forward to having another child so that his unborn baby girl will not feel as lonely as he used to when he was growing up in Shanghai.
"I plan to have more than one kid. I felt a little bit lonely when I was growing up and I would like to have had either a big brother or sister to protect me or a younger brother or sister," the Houston Rockets center told the United States-based Fox 26 Sports.
In January, the news that Yao and his wife are expecting their first child this summer sparked a media and public frenzy. On Friday, China's "talk-show queen," Yang Lan, revealed the hotly anticipated offspring was a girl.
When he married former Chinese basketball player Ye Li in 2007, Yao said he hoped to have a boy and a girl.
Since Yao and Ye were both only children, they are allowed to have a second child.
Media and fans have pinned high hopes on Yao's children becoming athletes, with some anticipating that his baby girl will lead the Chinese women hoops at the 2028 Olympics.
The former Shanghai Sharks star and present owner is not in a rush to worry about this.
"We can wait for a few years," said Yao. "Life is not about basketball. They will find out their own lives. I don't want to control their future."
Yao said he would let his children make their choices, in the same way his parents, who also played for the national basketball team, allowed him.
However, he did have one good wish for them.
"First of all whether he or she plays basketball or not, I hope they have a better ankle than me and a better knee than my wife," he said.
"She (Ye Li) had a knee injury when she played basketball."
Surgery on Yao's left ankle meant he missed the 2009-10 NBA season with the Houston Rockets, while knee injury ended his wife's career with the Chinese national team.
"I plan to have more than one kid. I felt a little bit lonely when I was growing up and I would like to have had either a big brother or sister to protect me or a younger brother or sister," the Houston Rockets center told the United States-based Fox 26 Sports.
In January, the news that Yao and his wife are expecting their first child this summer sparked a media and public frenzy. On Friday, China's "talk-show queen," Yang Lan, revealed the hotly anticipated offspring was a girl.
When he married former Chinese basketball player Ye Li in 2007, Yao said he hoped to have a boy and a girl.
Since Yao and Ye were both only children, they are allowed to have a second child.
Media and fans have pinned high hopes on Yao's children becoming athletes, with some anticipating that his baby girl will lead the Chinese women hoops at the 2028 Olympics.
The former Shanghai Sharks star and present owner is not in a rush to worry about this.
"We can wait for a few years," said Yao. "Life is not about basketball. They will find out their own lives. I don't want to control their future."
Yao said he would let his children make their choices, in the same way his parents, who also played for the national basketball team, allowed him.
However, he did have one good wish for them.
"First of all whether he or she plays basketball or not, I hope they have a better ankle than me and a better knee than my wife," he said.
"She (Ye Li) had a knee injury when she played basketball."
Surgery on Yao's left ankle meant he missed the 2009-10 NBA season with the Houston Rockets, while knee injury ended his wife's career with the Chinese national team.
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