If there is another Yao Ming set to emerge from China in the next few years, he was likely to have been at the Beijing Sports University gymnasium this week getting tips from NBA coaches and players.

Among the 62 teenagers from China and other parts of Asia running drills at the Adidas superstars camp over the last four days were three who have already reached the 2.13-meters mark.

The most likely to reach the same 2.29 meters as Houston Rockets center Yao was Zheng Zhun, who already looks down on his Shaanxi teammates from a height of more than seven feet at the age of 14.

"I'm impressed with how they look," NBA Hall of Famer KC Jones said. "I can see the talent is there.

"The seven-footer weighs about 100 pounds (45 kgs), I think. He's tall, skinny and as he's only 14 he's got a lot of growing left to do and once he stops growing he's going to fill out."

Orlando Magic forward Dwight Howard, a not inconsiderable 2.10 meters himself, went one-on-one with some of the Chinese youngsters and was equally impressed - and not just by their height.

"I think there are a lot of talented guys here and I think there's a couple of guys here who can make it to the NBA," said Howard, the overall first-round pick in the 2004 NBA draft.

"It's not just height, it's about heart and from the smallest guy to the tallest guy, these guys all play very hard. One thing they all have in common is big hearts."

The best 10 players from the camp will get the chance to go to the United States and receive more coaching there.

"I've really enjoyed it, it's given me a lot of fun," said 17-year-old Beijinger Chang Lin, who at a modest 2 meters is a relatively small forward.

"We have had a lot of good coaching which will make me a lot better player than before. Playing in the NBA is my dream, but it's really hard because there's lots of good players in that league."

Former Boston Celtics player and coach Jones said he thought the Chinese players needed to develop a real passion for the game if they wanted to succeed at the highest level.

(Shanghai Daily May 27, 2006)