Yao's cousin says Houston isn't a problem (ESPN reports)

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Yao Ming wouldn't have a problem with Houston picking him with the top pick, according to his cousin, who is apparently one of his two newly appointed official representatives.

"Yao isn't going to pull a John Elway on anyone," said Yao's cousin Erik Zhang on Sunday night, referring to Elway's refusal to play for Baltimore after being selected No. 1 overall in the 1983 NFL draft.

"We'll look at what is best for Yao," added Zhang, a 28-year-old University of Chicago business school student. "But we will work within the rules of the game and Houston is a place we have looked at very carefully. And they've got an all-star point guard (in Steve Francis)."

The Rockets are in desperate need of size and at least one source with the Rockets told ESPN.com that they could likely envision drafting the 7-foot-5 Yao over duke guard Jay Williams, if they received the No. 1 pick, which Houston did in Sunday's NBA draft lottery. The Rockets have scouted Yao in China and sent two representatives to Chicago to watch Yao workout May 1 where Zhang acted as an interpreter.

Zhang will take on a more prominent role with Yao after he told ESPN.com Sunday that he has been appointed by Yao to work with his economics professor at Chicago -- John Huizinga -- as Yao's representatives.

"There will be no Bill Duffy and no David Falk," Zhang said of U.S.-based agents who were considered possibilities to represent Yao. "I'm leaving for China next week and will talk to Yao and the Chinese Basketball Association to clear up any remaining issues as quickly as possible. John's my professor and he has no financial interest in this, but will do what's best for Yao. John will concentrate on the United States issues and I'll concentrate on matters in China."

Zhang said Yao met with Huizinga when he was in Chicago, and Huizinga apparently gained Yao's trust.

"The thinking was we needed someone who would take an objective view on this and John is a very capable person," Zhang said.

Attempts to reach Huizinga were unsuccessful Sunday night.

Yao, 21, would be the first No. 1 pick to have played professionally overseas before the NBA. There had been foreign-born players drafted No. 1 overall such as Michael Olowokandi (Pacific) and Tim Duncan (Wake Forest). But both players were in an American college before the NBA. Kwame Brown became the first high school player taken with the top pick when Washington drafted him No. 1 last season.

Whichever team selects Yao, it probably won't have him to participate with its summer-league team in July or in training camp in early October. Yao has a commitment to the Chinese National Team for the World Championships in Indianapolis during late August and early September, and is supposed to be with the Chinese practicing in July during the summer leagues. He is also obligated to play for the Chinese in the Asian Games in late September. The Chinese could reserve the right to call Yao back if need be at any time during the season, although that would seem unlikely.

Yao's contract is more of a concern for him than the team that selects him. Yao is a product of the Chinese government of sport and 50 percent of his salary would go to the governing body and his club team the Shanghai Sharks. The remaining 50 percent would be divided among Yao and those who helped him get to this point.

Yao had two private workouts while in Chicago -- one for the Bulls and another for the Knicks -- in addition to the NBA-organized workout. He's not scheduled to return to the U.S. until July with the Chinese National Team. But at least two NBA officials told ESPN.com that the league is trying to get him to American for the draft on June 26 in New York, especially since he might be the No. 1 pick and the television show on TNT could be seen by a billion people if it is televised in China.

















But do we want him, is the question.