体坛英语资讯：Yao Ming shines on and off court_娱乐

体坛英语资讯：Yao Ming shines on and off court

BEIJING, Oct. 9 -- China's NBA all-star center Yao Ming is once again in the domestic media spotlight as he finished training camp with the Houston Rockets and tipped off the preseason on Tuesday, just one day after he was listed as the richest sporting figure in China, according to the 2008 Hurun China Rich Report. Yao ranked 987th with a personal wealth of 700 million yuan ($103 million). He earned $15 million from the 08-09 sports season, before advertising income, enough to make him the country's most wealthy sports person.

On court, the giant center grabbed just 10 points and nine rebounds, although the Rockets edged the Memphis Grizzlies 96-93.

The encouraging thing is Yao looked fully recovered from last season's stress fracture, moving well enough on one possession to get the rebound at one end and be the first player down the floor at the other end.

Even so, with the Grizzlies swarming around him, he struggled with his offensive game.

"I have not played a game with such high intensity for eight months," Yao said. "I did not adapt very well coming into the match, but I was much better after the third quarter."

Speaking of the hard-fought win over a less-fancied opponent, Yao said the team has to play more to improve.

"I am not satisfied with the team or myself. We could have played more aggressively. We still need time to work on team play."

He played the game's first 10 minutes, taking just one shot. The Grizzlies' Hakim Warrick blocked that attempt and Yao missed his first three shots in the third quarter, all jumpers, before getting his first field goal of the night on a jump hook in the paint with 3:17 remaining in the third quarter. He followed that with a spin move to a left-handed layup.