Yao Ming entered the NBA as the No.1 scholar in 2002, while Francis has been in the league for three years, not only being the absolute core of the Rockets, but also being selected as an All-Star. Yao Ming's arrival will have a certain impact on his team position, but Francis did not exclude the little giant from the east like some teammates, but regarded Yao Ming as his brother, which was good for Yao Ming. How good was he to Yao Ming at that time? List a few things that everyone feels.
First, the Rockets selected Yao Ming with the No.1 pick, and it was Francis who helped the Rockets draw the No.1 pick. At the time of drawing lots, he helped the Rockets win the first prize with a probability of 8.9%, which led to the story that Yao Ming later joined the Rockets, which was also the beginning of the fate between Francis and Yao Ming.
Perhaps he was chosen by the winner of the draft, and Francis took special care of Yao Ming. When Yao Ming first came to the Rocket Arena, Francis was the first person to shake hands with Yao Ming and jokingly said, "You are here thanks to me." They talked and laughed through translation, which eased Yao Ming's nervousness.
Second, from CBA to NBA, Yao Ming should not only adapt to the fiercer competition, but also adapt to the cultural differences between China and the West. Francis contributed greatly to his rapid integration into American culture, his rapid establishment in the NBA and his fame. After Yao Ming arrived in Houston, Francis traveled all over the streets of Houston with Yao Ming's translator, participated in various community activities, participated in various parties, tasted local food, accompanied Yao Ming for an interview, and so on, so that Yao Ming could quickly adapt to the new environment.
Francis also gave Yao a lot of help on the court. Yao Ming's NBA debut was terrible. The media said he was a parallel import and described him with all kinds of ugly words. Yao Ming was hit hard. At this time Francis stood up and spoke for Yao Ming. He encouraged Yao Ming to fight back with strength. He explained tactics to Yao Ming, instructed Yao Ming how to stand, trained with Yao Ming, pointed out various problems of Yao Ming, and helped Yao Ming to make rapid progress.