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What Yao Ming Not Dunking Tells Us About Asian Culture

By Rob | Wednesday, April 15, 2009 | 18 Comments

yao-ming As a diehard hoops fan, I was extremely excited when Yao Ming first entered the NBA. Not only did it mark the emergence of a new and potentially great basketball talent, it also thrust an Asian male into the media spotlight and broke barriers in a sport that Asians have not traditionally been good at (yes, I know that Wang Zhizhi got there first, but his play wasn’t really something you could brag about). And I felt a thrill watching the first time Yao matched up against Shaq, which turned into pride as he more than held his own.

Yet ever since that game I’ve been disappointed by Yao. I don’t mean that Yao is a bad player – he puts up 20 points and 10 rebounds night after night and shoots a high percentage, both on the floor and on the foul line. He is an all star and one of the few good centers in the NBA. But he is not transcendent, and watching him play doesn’t inspire confidence that he will lead his team to a championship (it’s telling that Kobe Bryant and Lebron James both have more jersey sales than him in China).

There are all sorts of explanations for why Yao has not truly lived up to his potential, and some of them are valid: he has gotten unlucky with injuries. He is forced to play during the summer with the Chinese national team. His teammates have been ball hogs and not let him be the centerpiece of the offense. But the explanation that I think is the most interesting is that he isn’t aggressive enough. He passes too often. He doesn’t demand the ball when the game is on the line. He doesn’t dominate a game the way Shaq does. And what is interesting about this explanation is that it’s usually followed up with, he isn’t aggressive enough because he’s Chinese.

For example, the New York Times ran an article that asks why doesn’t Yao dunk. Their answer came down to cultural factors: “If you think of how community-oriented most young people growing up in China are, it’s just a different way of being brought up … There’s a lot more unity, and it seems like it’s a culture that promotes a more unselfish, ‘what’s best for everyone is what’s best for you’ mentality.”

I think there are a couple of interesting points here: First of all, where does the line between stereotyping and legitimate differences in cultural values get drawn? If I flipped this article on its head and said that black players dunk because their culture promotes physical aggression, I think a lot of people would be offended, but when the New York Times calls out Asians for being passive and lacking in individuality, this is okay?

But more important than asking whether this argument is politically correct is asking whether it is true. There’s something to the claim that Asian cultural values don’t emphasize aggression. While there are exceptions, most Asian people I know don’t rock the boat; they tend to be less loud and rambunctious than my non-Asian friends. And having grown up with Asian parents who never emphasized the idea of asserting one’s individuality, I can understand why.

In Yao Ming’s case, I believe that yes, he would be a better player if he were more aggressive, and that yes, at least some of that lack of aggressiveness comes from his cultural background. What is really interesting here is that this line of thinking implies a normative judgment – within the realm of professional basketball, I am saying that there are aspects of Chinese culture that are straight up bad (although I don’t see it quite such black and white terms; for example, Yao is also probably a better passer because of his cultural background). Moreover, I think this judgment potentially extends way beyond basketball. I feel like I’ve observed many situations where an Asian person’s passivity ends up working against them.

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18 Comments to “What Yao Ming Not Dunking Tells Us About Asian Culture”

Kevin wrote:

First, I think the Yao of five years ago, which was when that NYT article of fives year ago, is considerably different from now. He doesn’t dunk much, be dunks quite a bit now.

http://www.rotoevil.com/nba/dunk-stats

He’s next to some pretty big names. (KG, Kobe) who have known to throw down with authority.

Second, Yao is close to being the best in the NBA (look at his Player Efficiency Rating, http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/statistics?&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba%2fhollinger%2fstatistics)

and to ask him to be more is to ask for a lot more. I think the reasons why he has been perceived as a lame duck is because of he’s 1) a 7′6 defensive liability; Adelman takes him out during important defensive possessions 2) he’s injury prone (actually that entire team is) and 3) his style of play is part of a greater system put in by Adelman. If you look at Adelman, he’s tried to spread the offense by having shooting Centers and Power Forwards.. (Kings with Brad Miller and Chris Webber) that didn’t emphasize an aggressive low post game. Yao is someone you have to defend 18 feet out, and to have that one guy out of the key sometimes is what makes a play work etc. etc. Comparing him to Shaq or Dwight Howard is unfair because they can’t make that mid range shot or that baby hook and HAVE to dunk. But I digress.

I think the lack of aggressiveness in the Asian mentality is sort of an antiquated thought that carried over from cultural restrictions that no longer exist. Chinese business booms because of an aggressive business approach (coupled of course with smart management), Japanese car companies succeed because of their aggressiveness, Dice-K rocks the mound and K’s like a mad man because he’s aggressive on said mound, and so on. To confuse cultural politeness? (say.. bowing as a sign of respect or a reticent approach to social endeavors) with passiveness is, in my opinion, a mistake.

Yao could be perceived as passive because HE is passive, not because ASIANS are passive. Dice-K and Chien Ming Wang are socially reserved but if you look at their eyes when they get on that mound, the last thing you think is passive.

I do like the argument about whether or not it’s PC, and how this passive v aggressive argument plays out in the bigger community of competitive athletics, and I think it’s important to expand on that.

Posted on 15-Apr-09 at 2:22 pm | Permalink
John wrote:

Great post.

Posted on 15-Apr-09 at 3:30 pm | Permalink
Kevin wrote:

The eyes merely represent their focus, intensity and passion of competitive individuals. Next time a 93 mph fastball from Dice-K or or 90 mph sinker by Wang flies by, we’ll see how “passive” they are. There are no “passive” players in professional sports; at least none who are as successful as say Tiger Woods, Dice-K, Wang, Anthony Kim, Park Ji Sung, Hines Ward, Liu Xiang, or even Yao.

http://www.about-charlottenc.com/wp-content/uploads/tiger_woods.jpg

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2006/writers/tom_verducci/09/27/baseball.mailbag/t1_wang2.jpg

http://www.topnews.in/sports/files/liu-xiang.jpg

EYES!

Posted on 15-Apr-09 at 6:49 pm | Permalink
Tien Nguyen wrote:

This is pretty ridiculous..Tim Duncan is as passive and non-aggressive as anyone else in the league, and has won 3 championships. Lebron has yet to win one, and Kobe has yet to prove he can do one without Shaq…you can throw in Dwight Howard who leads the NBA in dunks as someone who probably won’t win one any time soon.

Other championship players who are known to be passive include Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson–along with Malone/Stockton who should’ve gotten at least one if not two rings had it not been for Jordan..

Posted on 15-Apr-09 at 6:51 pm | Permalink
Invasian wrote:

Interesting post. Not living anywhere near Houston, most of the coverage I get about Yao is when he is on the visiting team. He is a good player, but doesn’t seem to get the same amount of adoration as other big men.
It’s nice to see Asian players succeed in the NBA and MLB. I think it could help with positive images of Asian-Americans.

Posted on 15-Apr-09 at 6:59 pm | Permalink
Confuse-Us wrote:

Rob said…
“I am saying that there are aspects of Chinese culture that are straight up bad…”

I agree, I’ve always hated using chopsticks – they’re just so annoying.

Posted on 15-Apr-09 at 8:37 pm | Permalink
blah blah blah wrote:

Give Yao Ming the personality of Steve Aoki. In fact, give every Asian celeb the personality of Steve Aoki. Asians need to just throw in the towel and become douchebags.

Posted on 16-Apr-09 at 5:39 am | Permalink
blah blah blah wrote:

Oh another thought on Yao..

Yao is an anomaly. I imagine those pictures of him in China, holding the little village kids hands as they crowd around him. I think that gives him the “gentle giant” persona, almost in the same way as Andre the Giant, because they are so different, so overpowering, that they in turn become the exact opposite because they don’t want to accidentally abuse their nature physical power.

Now if one day it becomes a normal sight to see a 7 foot Chinese guy, I’m sure more than a few of them will be cocky enough to slam and mock the pitiful defender, while dancing their way back to defense.

Posted on 16-Apr-09 at 5:47 am | Permalink
Ed wrote:

Despite of how the media speaks of Yao I think he ones of the biggest and better athletes of all time and many of the NBA players can’t live up to him.

Yao is one of the best role models out there working with charities and as a Chinese ambassader
Playing 20-10 on top of that is just brillant can’t really be pushing him too much after all that.

If he can get more points then even better but it takes a team to win Championships not an individual star player.

Am I disappointed with Yao? not at all. He’s underated.

The misconception of passiveness doesn’t stir me one bit. Chinese culture is not passive and respectful of collective harmony.

Passive and inferiority is typically an ignorant attitude from westerners towards non-white people.

Posted on 16-Apr-09 at 5:02 pm | Permalink
Ed wrote:

Don’t confuse passivity with good manner, don’t confuse barbaric agression with masculinity.

Posted on 16-Apr-09 at 5:22 pm | Permalink
Jeff wrote:

Is it such a bad thing that he passes a lot? Isn’t basketball a “team” sport? Why shouldn’t Yao role model being a team player? I can remember seeing the frustration on Number Two Son’s face during his last playoff basketball game when he was open but the point guard preferred to try driving through four defenders rather than dish it off. And no, the point guard score. With kids emulating pro ball hogs, disregarding the team aspects of basketball, it doesn’t seem at all bad that a famous player like Yao is role modeling being unselfish and being willing to pass.

Posted on 16-Apr-09 at 9:21 pm | Permalink
Phil wrote:

Yes basketball is a team sport, but when there are players that can carry the team to the next level and players that basically can dominate the game by themselves then it’s not necessarily seen as ballhogging. Throughout basketball history, any team that has had a dominate big men is expected to own the paint and if the big man is a force on the offensive end then demanding the ball is just part of the game.

Also comparing a little league to the pros is different as well, the top notch players in the NBA are basically unstoppable so other players would be more than willing to pass. Sure a player like Kobe can help improve his team through getting others involved , but it still starts with him with the ball and analyzing the defense. At the end of the day…if there’s a player that can take the most shots and people would want him to shoot over anyone else, it would be Kobe Bryant. That would basically apply to other dominate players such as D-Wade, Lebron James, Paul Pierce, Carmelo Anthony, or even Kevin Durant.

However I do think comparing Shaq to Yao isn’t the best of comparisons. Shaq has dominated the game with his power and athleticism, even though Yao Ming is tall…he isn’t blessed with the type of attributes that Shaq and Dwight Howard have that allow them to be such a force in the paint. Even Yao Ming listed at 7′6, only has a 7′4 wingspan. Yao Ming has actually changed throughout the years, and I remember when he criticized his own Chinese teammates and received backlash for that. There’s actually other things that pertain to the development and play of Chinese basketball in general, but I won’t get into that.

Here’s a quote from a article about Yao Ming;
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/5764730/
“The Chinese officials blamed the United States for corrupting Yao and giving him American personality habits, according to the Globe and Mail. When he first went to the NBA two years ago, he was “an obedient child” with a “very good reputation,” one official said. “Now, he has changed, he’s more like an American, he dares to say anything.” ”

I’m not sure about the examples with jersey sells makes such a difference just because even in the USA, flashy wing players have always outsold big men. It was only a matter of time that Yao Ming would lose that #1 spot. If there’s ever a Chinese guard that dominates the game such as the likes of a Kobe or Lebron, or even plays like Vince Carter, I wouldn’t be surprised if they outsold Yao Ming.

Yao Ming as great as he is as a player, I really don’t see him being that #1 franchise player that can lead his team to the championship…but that’s okay. T-Mac was supposed be the one that helped Yao take over games, but he’s out with microfracture. Kobe has a Pau Gasol/Bynum, Lebron has Z/Ben Wallace, Brandon Roy has Lamarcus/Greg Oden, Chris Paul has David West/Tyson Chandler, Deron Williams has Boozer/Okur, etc.

Perhaps if Yao Ming can help lead his team passed the 1st round against the Blazers then maybe that will the beginning of a even more dominant Yao Ming…but then again, if they pass the first round they’re going to have to face the Lakers. I’ve actually always wanted to see how Yao Ming could play under the Triangle offense with Kobe and coach Phil Jackson, obviously with Kobe taking over games in the 4th but Yao Ming alongside helping both enough to win it all.

And what’s a basketball blog without Youtube clips?
Here’s one:

Yao Ming – Dominant?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9EiQIUYXeo

Please Enjoy! =)

Posted on 17-Apr-09 at 2:59 am | Permalink
Nalicita wrote:

“If you think of how community-oriented most young people growing up in China are, it’s just a different way of being brought up … There’s a lot more unity, and it seems like it’s a culture that promotes a more unselfish, ‘what’s best for everyone is what’s best for you’ mentality”

If I flipped this article on its head and said that black players dunk because their culture promotes physical aggression,

I had a slight issue of your comparison between Asians are more passive because of a collectivistic society and saying that black people are more aggressive culturally. Unlike the reason given for the Asian stereotype that you admitted holds truth, the statement about black culture goes unsupported.
I will say this about that statement black culture does not promote physical aggression. This stereotype is fueled by the media that places the black male as a poor ignorant criminal. If Asians were judged by the poorest members of the society their would be just as agressive profile placed on them.

I like this website by the way.

Posted on 19-Apr-09 at 9:08 pm | Permalink
Leon wrote:

I find it ridiculous that when we finally have a good player in the NBA who’s from China, every other Asian American male immediately jumps on his back and try to ride him to some promised land of AA male power/masculinity. That speaks about the insecurities of Asian American men more than whatever perceived “passiveness” of people from Asia. Just because certain AA men have self-esteem issues, it doesn’t mean they can just dump it all on Yao Ming and have him fix it for them on the court. The fact that he’s some 7′6″ guy from China who plays good basketball is breaking enough stereotypes already. Quit hating on the guy simply because he’s not punching the refs or throwing the ball into the stands.

Posted on 20-Apr-09 at 12:13 pm | Permalink
jaehwan wrote:

Yao did really well in that last game against my own team the Blazers. He led the team in scoring through the first half, and it was only because he was in foul trouble that he pulled back a bit in the second. Whenever the ball went up, it seemed like he kept reaching up and grabbing it.

I don’t follow basketball all that much, but the announcers kept saying how well Yao was doing. They mentioned him over and over, much more than a lot of the other players. Yao isn’t physically thick enough to play like Shaq, but overall, I think he does really well. He’s still among the very best. And when he draws fouls, unlike Shaq, he can actually put those free throws through the hoop.

Posted on 20-Apr-09 at 1:30 pm | Permalink
Michelle Chung wrote:

I think you read a bias in the New York Times article which was not there. I read this quote to be complimentary, rather than derogatory. This community oriented, rather than individualistic, perspective is prevalent in Chinese philosophy, and absent in Western philosophy.

So I think it’s perfectly legitimate to flip the question. Black (and white) players dunk because they come from a culture (or have been immersed in a culture) which promotes individuality, and glorifies the ego.

Yao’s obviously a team player. He passes a lot, he doesn’t hog the ball. But this does not mean he is not aggressive.

I used to have an insecurity about Asian people’s passivity, and would deliberately assert myself to counter the assumption. And my family’s passive attitude to deliberate provocation used to frustrate me to no end. But Ed above was right: don’t confuse passivity with good manner, don’t confuse barbaric agression with masculinity.

Passivity does not mean submission, or politeness. Often being passive is the smartest thing to do. Also, sometimes being passive is braver than being aggressive.

I think that these days this difference in cultural attitude is well known and better understood, and most importantly, respected.

Posted on 20-Apr-09 at 6:10 pm | Permalink
8Asians.com » Tall, Short and Segregated Asians: Six Lessons from a Basketball Season wrote:

[...] One thing, though, is that when there is a tall Chinese kid, he gets referred to as “Yao Ming.” “Yao Ming just got the rebound!” [...]

Posted on 22-Apr-09 at 11:36 am | Permalink
The Asian persuasion « Your Kid’s Not Going Pro wrote:

[...] … One thing, though, is that when there is a tall Chinese kid, he gets referred to as “Yao Ming.” “Yao Ming just got the rebound!” [...]

Posted on 22-Apr-09 at 5:58 pm | Permalink

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