From BskBALL.com
05/02- THE YAO REPORT- Yesterday the league watched the hype, turn into the prospect. Listened to the message and saw the product, and most importantly saw first hand how it would be. The Chinese officially declined permissions for private workouts with Yao Ming, saying there wasn't time. Yesterday's look would be the only look NBA teams got at the 7'5 big man with a shooting guard's touch. What was the word... to a man, Yao has an impressive stroke, looks good moving with the ball, shoots and passes like a guard. Can block shots and board, but lacks physical size to guard big men, and seems to be weak in the upper body. The story making it way around is that while attempting to guard Oregon's 7-3 center Chris Christoffersen, Chris bodied Yao, sending him flying which led to an uncontested shot. He did appear winded as the workout went on, although many attributed that to the long flight from China, and the nature of a workout in front of 67 scouts representing 26 teams. Lots of rumors are coming out of the workouts, most notable was recently hired Head of Basketball operations for the Grizzlies Jerry West being denied a private workout, and West responding to that saying if Yao were there when he drafts, he'd take him, telling media "We asked, and they said they didn't have time to do that. It's not coincidental. I think they have large Chinese populations (in Chicago and New York). There's not a large Chinese population in Memphis... I definitely think there's a couple of markets they'd like for him to go to. There's no question. But for a team in this league, if you feel like he's the best player then draft him. . . . Draft him. I don't think teams should be blackmailed, and we've had that before in the NBA - agents saying that this guy is not going to play there. The damn guy would sit if the right owner were there. He would sit before he would play here. It destroys the integrity of the draft. . . But if he is available, and that's who we wanted to draft, we would draft him." Several GMs and Execs dodged the Yao question telling media they would not comment, notables going on record were Jerry West saying "The guy is more of a finesse player at this point and time. I think everyone would like to see him play closer to the basket." Knicks head coach Don Chaney added "I think he's already stated he'd like to play in New York, Golden State or Chicago". The Knicks were able to get a private workout with Yao ahead of the rest of the league, bringing in a cast of 12 including Allan Houston. Knicks GM Scott Layden said of the workouts "We felt fortunate that we were able to spend time with him. I think Yao Ming has a special potential. He's highly skilled and he's a guy that I think will work and improve. I think he'll be great for the league." Knicks guard Allan Houston mirrored the glowing compliments saying "He has good skills, good legs and a nice shooting touch. He moves well. With somebody that big, you think they'd be fragile. But he has a solid foundation. I was impressed with his skill level.". From the rumor mill, already media (NY Daily News) are speculating that a few teams are laying ground work to grab him, with reports suggesting Dallas may have talked about a deal to grab Chicago's top pick, in exchange for Michael Finely if they can get close enough to grab him. Mavericks sources say its absolutely untrue that while clearly Yao is a player of interest to the Mavs, their focus is on the playoffs and a quest for a Title now, not trading away a key piece to their run for a project player, that any talk of a deal involving Dallas is not true, they are not talking with anyone about anything beyond Game 1 of the 2nd round. For once, I have to side with Dallas on this one. Ming is projected to be one of the top selections in the 2002 draft.

Ming update from BskBALL.com
04/03- HAVE THE KNICKS ALREADY MADE A DEAL?- Have the New York Knicks already made a deal with China? Some people seem to think so. China turned away private meetings with Memphis, but had enough time to hold a private workout with New York the day prior to his workout with the league, and seemed to have enough time to be entertained and dined by the Knicks yesterday. Yao did show up for a private workout with the Bulls, although he showed up late and simply went through the motions. But the Knicks seem to not only have Yao's ear, but seem to have almost unlimited access to the big man. A source who attended the Chicago workout with Yao laid it out this way... The workout Yao held for NY was about proving why they needed to draft him, the workout held for the league was about insuring his name remains at the top of the draft class. The source said China wants to see Yao go number 1 overall, and their choice to work him out in front of everyone was about putting the pressure on New York to make a deal to obtain him number 1 overall. With the draft lottery held later this month, New York's odds of obtaining the top pick are fairly slim. Conspiracy theorists suggest that if the Lottery is rigged as many have said for years, that New York will draw the top pick. If they do not draw the top pick, they have some issues, because Golden State sources say if they draw the pick, they will not trade it cheaply. Chicago is rumored to be shopping out the option to trade the pick if they land it- but not to New York. Memphis has said they see this draft as a way to move along their building process, and Jerry West seems extremely interested in using the pick- more on that later-. The Knicks staying at 9-12 range, will not have a shot at Yao without trade-buy-off or miracle. Although it seems they have already made some kind of deal with China, the rest seems to be the process.