Jeremy Lin considers Yao Ming to be a role model and sought guidance from him throughout last season. The two became close thanks to the their Asian roots, and Yao even said he tried to sign Lin to his Chinese team during the lockout. Now Lin is following Yao’s career path by signing with the Rockets, and the former All-Star center thinks that will be a good career move for the point guard.
“I’m so glad the Knicks didn’t match the contract,” Yao told the New York Times. “Houston is a good place for Jeremy to come to. It’s a good fit because both sides can provide the best opportunity for each other.
“In Houston, we have a very good community and great fans,” Yao said. “With less media coverage, I think it made me focus more on basketball. I think that’s one reason I played so well.”
Lin recently admitted that Linsanity got to his head last year. Playing in New York with all the media and attention is a big reason why he blew up, but it also results in many distractions. Being in Houston will allow him to focus on his game without worrying about much else. Like Yao says, this should be good for him.
