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CNN Live At Daybreak
NBA Hoop-La: All-Star Game
Aired February 07, 2003 - 06:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I love that song. Yes indeed, Yao Ming, we've been talking a lot about his upcoming all-star appearance in Sunday's NBA classic right here in Atlanta.
CNN sports anchor Ray D'Alessio is here to talk more about Yao Ming's enormous popularity.
RAY D'ALESSIO, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: I actually can remember the lyrics to that song.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: Yes, three words.
D'ALESSIO: Has this guy just blown up or what?
COSTELLO: It's amazing. He's in commercials. He got the most votes of anyone for the All-Star Game. What's up with that?
D'ALESSIO: Right, first Chinese player to get elected to an All- Star Game. Marketability, Carol, that's basically the theme for today. I mean there's -- again, there's two sides to Yao Ming, there's the marketability side and there's Yao Ming the NBA basketball player.
First, talking about Yao Ming the marketability, the commercial genius. Advertisers are going nuts over this guy, of course. We saw it during the Super Bowl, the commercial with Verne Troyer, who AKA Mini Me. Thing about Yao Ming, he's got that smile. No, he doesn't -- he can really not speak the English language that well, better than some people think. But here's the thing, to this guy who's been in the country only four months,...
COSTELLO: Yes.
D'ALESSIO: ... since then he's signed five endorsement deals, most recently a multiyear deal with Gatorade. Gatorade people saying that he's going to be their next big spokesman, probably even more bigger than Michael Jordan who signed back in 1991. And their goal, of course, is to target it. It's not just going to be limited here to the U.S., it's going to be worldwide, most likely in China as well.
COSTELLO: That's insane.
D'ALESSIO: China, you think about it, China, it's an untapped market, 1.3 billion residents, I believe and of course the 2008 Beijing Olympics, they're going to be there as well, the Summer Olympics. So by then Yao should really be coming into his own as an NBA basketball player.
COSTELLO: Yes, you know what really surprises me is that little kids love him.
D'ALESSIO: Everybody knows him. Everybody knows him.
COSTELLO: Love him.
D'ALESSIO: They love the guy, again, because his smile, his charm, he's got that kind of big guy teddy bear image thing.
COSTELLO: And he's humble.
D'ALESSIO: And he's very, very humble.
COSTELLO: And maybe it helps he doesn't speak much English because...
D'ALESSIO: Well,...
COSTELLO: ... he can't say anything too stupid.
D'ALESSIO: No, and again his humor, too. There was the recent controversy between Shaq and him. Shaq, some people thought it was more or less like maybe an ethnic slur, making fun of the way Yao talks. Yao responded by saying well you know the Chinese language is hard to learn. You know it was things like that. And Yao went as far when the Lakers played down in Houston last month, Yao went as far as inviting Shaq over for dinner. Shaq politely declined, not because he doesn't like Yao, but because he had other, you know things to...
COSTELLO: Other commitments.
D'ALESSIO: ... other commitments to do. Yao's response, well it's good that he didn't come over because I don't have a refrigerator big enough for Shaq. You know the guy's got a sense of humor.
COSTELLO: Yes, well I hope I see Yao Ming in Atlanta walking around, 7-foot-5.
D'ALESSIO: Look for the tallest -- look for the tallest guy walking in downtown Atlanta and you'll find Yao Ming. Fortunately, I don't have to interview him. Fortunately, unfortunately, I should say,...
COSTELLO: Yes, that would be embarrassing.
D'ALESSIO: ... because I'd have to get a few chairs to stand on.
COSTELLO: Yes. Hey, Ray, thanks for coming up. We appreciate it.
D'ALESSIO: Any time, any time. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 7, 2003 - 06:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I love that song. Yes indeed, Yao Ming, we've been talking a lot about his upcoming all-star appearance in Sunday's NBA classic right here in Atlanta.
CNN sports anchor Ray D'Alessio is here to talk more about Yao Ming's enormous popularity.
RAY D'ALESSIO, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: I actually can remember the lyrics to that song.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: Yes, three words.
D'ALESSIO: Has this guy just blown up or what?
COSTELLO: It's amazing. He's in commercials. He got the most votes of anyone for the All-Star Game. What's up with that?
D'ALESSIO: Right, first Chinese player to get elected to an All- Star Game. Marketability, Carol, that's basically the theme for today. I mean there's -- again, there's two sides to Yao Ming, there's the marketability side and there's Yao Ming the NBA basketball player.
First, talking about Yao Ming the marketability, the commercial genius. Advertisers are going nuts over this guy, of course. We saw it during the Super Bowl, the commercial with Verne Troyer, who AKA Mini Me. Thing about Yao Ming, he's got that smile. No, he doesn't -- he can really not speak the English language that well, better than some people think. But here's the thing, to this guy who's been in the country only four months,...
COSTELLO: Yes.
D'ALESSIO: ... since then he's signed five endorsement deals, most recently a multiyear deal with Gatorade. Gatorade people saying that he's going to be their next big spokesman, probably even more bigger than Michael Jordan who signed back in 1991. And their goal, of course, is to target it. It's not just going to be limited here to the U.S., it's going to be worldwide, most likely in China as well.
COSTELLO: That's insane.
D'ALESSIO: China, you think about it, China, it's an untapped market, 1.3 billion residents, I believe and of course the 2008 Beijing Olympics, they're going to be there as well, the Summer Olympics. So by then Yao should really be coming into his own as an NBA basketball player.
COSTELLO: Yes, you know what really surprises me is that little kids love him.
D'ALESSIO: Everybody knows him. Everybody knows him.
COSTELLO: Love him.
D'ALESSIO: They love the guy, again, because his smile, his charm, he's got that kind of big guy teddy bear image thing.
COSTELLO: And he's humble.
D'ALESSIO: And he's very, very humble.
COSTELLO: And maybe it helps he doesn't speak much English because...
D'ALESSIO: Well,...
COSTELLO: ... he can't say anything too stupid.
D'ALESSIO: No, and again his humor, too. There was the recent controversy between Shaq and him. Shaq, some people thought it was more or less like maybe an ethnic slur, making fun of the way Yao talks. Yao responded by saying well you know the Chinese language is hard to learn. You know it was things like that. And Yao went as far when the Lakers played down in Houston last month, Yao went as far as inviting Shaq over for dinner. Shaq politely declined, not because he doesn't like Yao, but because he had other, you know things to...
COSTELLO: Other commitments.
D'ALESSIO: ... other commitments to do. Yao's response, well it's good that he didn't come over because I don't have a refrigerator big enough for Shaq. You know the guy's got a sense of humor.
COSTELLO: Yes, well I hope I see Yao Ming in Atlanta walking around, 7-foot-5.
D'ALESSIO: Look for the tallest -- look for the tallest guy walking in downtown Atlanta and you'll find Yao Ming. Fortunately, I don't have to interview him. Fortunately, unfortunately, I should say,...
COSTELLO: Yes, that would be embarrassing.
D'ALESSIO: ... because I'd have to get a few chairs to stand on.
COSTELLO: Yes. Hey, Ray, thanks for coming up. We appreciate it.
D'ALESSIO: Any time, any time. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
