Luis Scola stunned by Yao’s injury

• Source: Global Times
• [22:20 July 08 2009]
• Comments

By Sebastian Garcia

Luis Scola

On vacations in his native Buenos Aires, Argentina and NBA Houston Rockets forward Luis Scola (LS) spoke to the Global Times (GT) about his NBA experience in the past two years and his relationship with China. He also showed us how he feels about Yao Ming’s disappointing broken left foot.

GT: What are your thoughts after the season you had with the Houston Rockets?

LS: Last season was very difficult for us. Playing without Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady made it very tough for us. We competed, but in our last game against LA Lakers, we were not up to their level.

GT: You finished your second season in the NBA and you managed to play all the 164 games that the Rockets played in that period. What is the recipe to achieve that?

LS: I have to say I feel very lucky to have played two consecutive full seasons. It’s not easy to avoid injury and to play in all 82 games two years in a row. It’s hard because even if you catch a flu, you could miss one or two games, but I managed to stay healthy.

By the way, I should say that I was devastated to hear about Yao Ming’s recent foot injury. We face a lot of challenges to overcome that unexpected and terrible loss. With him and Tracy McGrady, our team invested 60 percent of our total budget and to be without any of those two players is a huge blow for us.

Of course, the obvious and most immediate impact is the one we will suffer on the court. But you also have to realize that there’s a lot of money committed to their contracts and that is money the franchise won’t be able to reinvest in other players.

GT: What is your relationship with China and what goes through your mind when you visit the country?

LS: I’m very connected with China and I go there every year. I write a blog in China, the first time I posted there I received 140, 000 visitors and they left 1, 500 comments. It’s a number that’s incredible for Argentina, but it’s normal for China.

GT: Why do you think you have become a famous and also an admired player in China?

LS: I think many people in China like me because in the NBA I’m a foreigner, just like Yao Ming is and they can relate to that. I think people in China like everyone in the Houston Rockets team, not only Yao and me.

I’m surprised by the enormous following the Houston Rockets have in China. Basketball in general has become very popular. Of course, this is all because of Yao Ming, but it still surprises me a lot.

GT: How is your relationship with Yao Ming when you are off the court?

LS: My relationship with Yao Ming is excellent, couldn’t be better. He is a great person and I wish him all the best in his recovery.