Yao Shark Showdown: When the Sharks of the West collide with the Great Wall of the East, this is what basketball should be like

On January 17, 2003, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Yao Ming, who had just entered the NBA as the No. 1 pick for half a year, faced the league's most dominant "Shark" O'Neal and completed the key block of his career. In this battle that ESPN called the "Behemoth Showdown of the Century," Yao Ming blocked 6 shots in the game, 3 of which were directly given to O'Neal. He used textbook-level defense to break the doubts about him from the outside world. O'Neal, who shrugged and said "Who is Yao Ming? I don't know him" when interviewing the media before the game, completely changed his attitude after the game. He said frankly in the locker room: "This kid is so crazy. He is the first person to block me three times in a row, which forced me to change my style of play." No one thought that this Yao Shark showdown was just the beginning of a legend. In the nearly ten years of NBA career that followed, Yao Ming and O'Neal met 13 times in the regular season, plus 5 playoff meetings. They interpreted the offensive and defensive art of the center position into the most touching footnote of the NBA's era.

In the NBA at that time, no one was optimistic that a yellow man could establish himself at the center position. Barkley even made harsh words during a TNT live broadcast: "If Yao Ming can score 19 points in a game, I will kiss Kenny Smith's ass." Later, for the effect of the show, Smith found a donkey, so there was the famous scene of "Barkley kissing the donkey's ass." But Yao Ming wanted to break the prejudice. His method of dealing with O'Neal was different from others - when others were knocked away with brute force, he used delicate steps to get in front; others were afraid of O'Neal's weight and did not dare to approach, so he used soft mid-range shots to open up the space. You must know that among big men, his career free throw shooting rate of 83.3% is simply a bug. In the first Yao Shark matchup, he scored 10 points, 10 rebounds and 6 blocks. In the fourth quarter, his one-handed dunk after receiving a pass from Francis ignited the passion of all Chinese fans.

The subsequent matchups became more and more interesting. From the Lakers to the Heat, O'Neal changed his jersey, but every time he met Yao Ming, it was like being beaten. Yao Ming's growth is also visible to the naked eye. When they first met, he would stagger when faced with O'Neal's back attack, but later he was able to withstand the impact steadily and deliver precise passes. O'Neal once said bluntly in an interview with "Sports Illustrated": "He is the only center who makes me feel pressure at all times during the game. I have to try my best to play against him." This sentence has more weight than any data. In the 13 regular season games between the two, Yao Ming led the Rockets to win 7 games. In terms of statistics, O'Neal had a slight advantage with averages of 22.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. But anyone with a discerning eye understands that a rookie who started out with doubts about "yellow people can't do it" can compete with the "behemoth under the basket" in his peak period, which in itself is a victory beyond statistics. After a game, O'Neal put his arm around Yao Ming's shoulders and said sincerely: "You deserve to be an All-Star. Now you are one of the top centers in the league." At this time, who can still remember the original arrogance of "I don't know who Yao Ming is"?

There is a tit-for-tat confrontation on the court, but there is a sympathetic friendship outside the court. O'Neal never concealed his admiration for Yao Ming. He pulled Yao Ming into a funny opening dance at the All-Star Game. The contrasting and cute performances of the two centers became a classic scene in the history of the All-Star Game. Yao Ming also always calls O'Neal his "most important opponent and friend." When he first entered the league, he frankly asked O'Neal about the NBA's locker room culture. He would also study O'Neal's low-post passing skills in private training. This seemingly rough "shark" actually has delicate coping skills, which deeply inspired Yao Ming. Once when he was a guest on a talk show, O'Neal said half-jokingly, "If Yao Ming had entered the NBA a few years earlier, I might have won two fewer championships." This sounded like a joke, but it was actually the most sincere recognition among his opponents. The best opponent is never an enemy, but a "whetstone" that makes each other stronger. Yao Ming broke prejudices and won respect with his diligence of being "the first to arrive at the training facility and the last to leave". O'Neal used his generosity and sincerity to gain cross-border friendships. This legend on and off the court is far more moving than a single victory or defeat.

The duel between Yao and Shark not only made the NBA popular in China, but also allowed the world to see the unlimited possibilities of yellow people on the basketball court. Yao Ming used his strength to change the world's view of Asian basketball, and O'Neal used respect to interpret the true meaning of sportsmanship. The Yao Shark matchup is not only a contest between two centers, but also the hottest memory in the youth of countless fans.