The memories came
flooding back on a night to
remember for former Houston Rockets
players at the Yao Foundation Charity
Game on Monday.
When 18,000
fans, packed into the MasterCard
Center chanted in majestic unison
"Huan Mai Di" and "Huan Yao
Ming" (bring on Tracy McGrady and
Yao Ming) during the second half,
the memories of another time and
another place, battling for Houston's
cause flashed through his
mind.
"It reminded me of
the past days, our glorious moments,"
Yao said after coaching the US
star team to victory over the
Chinese national squad,
61-58.
"Although we've long
passed our prime and can't play
on court together, the reunion of
the old Rockets under the same
roof was an emotional moment," said
Yao, who invited four of his
ex-teammates to play in the
game.
McGrady, who is on
a exhibition tour across China, made
a last-minute decision to join
Yao's event in Beijing and
served as Yao's assistant coach
on the bench.
The star-studded
roster, included Metta World Peace
(formerly Ron Artest), Kyle Lowry and
Luis Scola.
The golden era
for the Rockets seems to have
disappeared with Yao's retirement.
World Peace, Lowry and Scola have
moved to different teams and T-Mac
has been injured.
But the
fans were not complaining.
"To
see them together is incredible. It
was a heart-warming moment," Song
Wenzhong, a Rockets diehard
said.
The stars acknowledged
that Yao's charity game was a
special event.
"Yes, it was
fun to have the chance to see
Yao and all the old guys again.
It was a good reunite and
it's for a great cause and
so that made it even better,"
said World Peace.
But Yao
was looking to the
future.
"It feels warm inside
but what has gone is gone, we
all should move on."
World
Peace said he would love to
play in in China if Yao's
club, the Shanghai Sharks, gives him
a contract.
