Feeling Yao

Yao Ming is a freak of nature.

No one as tall as he is (7-foot-6) should be able to play 38 minutes a game in a league as physical and fast-paced as the NBA, yet the Houston Rockets center has been as good as any big man when he's been able to stay healthy.

That Yao has been oft-injured should come as little surprise to anyone, and the stress fracture in his left foot that abruptly ended his NBA season now places his participation in the 2008 Beijing Olympics in grave jeopardy.

Yao has many months of rehab ahead of him, but doctors in China believe there's a chance he could be back in time for the Olympics. In the interim, national team head coach Jonas Kazlauskas is looking at Plan B, former Dallas Mavericks center Wang Zhizhi.

Let's hope it doesn't come to that. For a developing nation like China to have the world at its doorstep for 16 days in August, casting Yao as one of its featured players is essential. He is truly an extraordinary specimen despite his injuries and deserves the opportunity to lead his country.

The Rockets' season could be on the ropes without Yao, and that's a shame given the team's current surge, but there's nothing that can be done about that except for his teammates to persevere.

Now it's up to the determination of the big guy to will his brittle body to recovery in time for the biggest moment of his basketball career. As one of the game's leading ambassadors, you can't help but pull for him. 

Kobe Bryant has really grown this year. He has finally given up the thought that he could do it all. Even before the Gasol trade, he had the Lakers playing great basketball. Now the Lakers are looking like the team to beat not only this year, but perhaps for the next five years.

All this does not guarantee him being this year’s MVP. If he does win it, then we can finally say the award finally has validity again.

Maybe the most valuable player award isn't as valuable as it once was. It has lost all of its prestige. So who cares if Kobe doesn't win this year or any year after that?

A friend of mine said that he would rather see four more championships for the Kobe led Lakers than one Kobe MVP award. I agree with him. I am sure Kobe would too.