Will Yao Ming Come Back and Challenge Howard as the Best Center?

Tonight, the Magic square-off against the Rockets in Houston in their first preseason game, but not all eyes will be on Howard and the Magic.  

Certainly, all of China will be crossing their collective fingers, so that they don't lose the best player ever to come out of their country; Rocket fans, for the sake of having a contending team, need Yao to be his old self in the middle.

We know big men often battle foot problems—Walton and Ilgauskas are two of the more memorable examples. Let's hope Yao follows the path of Ilgauskas, who after missing many games early on in his career, eventually overcame the foot problems to have a very successful NBA career.

In Yao, Dwight has a true player to challenge him on the defensive end. Howard has his way with most NBA centers, but Yao's ridiculous length and outside shot expose Howard's inability to cover someone who is seven inches taller.  

Then again, who could contend with that?  

Indeed, Yao brings a unique skill set to basketball and has always been a spectacle. Let's hope that continues, and maybe there will be some kind of argument able to be made for Yao as the NBA's best center.

I am sure Howard will welcome the competition. And the entire NBA is rooting for Yao Ming.