WASHINGTON - The lessons, basketball and otherwise, are expected to come soon enough for Chinese center Yao Ming, but he may already have figured out what's important in today's NBA.
When asked what he knew about his new Houston Rockets teammates, Yao, the first overall choice in last night's NBA draft, said he was up to date on Steve Francis, because he had spent a lot of time studying the television commercial of the former Maryland star that has been airing in China.
The selection of Yao, a 7-foot-5 post player with the Shanghai Sharks, was widely expected, though not certain until early yesterday morning, when Rockets officials finalized agreements with the Chinese government to allow Yao to play in the United States.
For his part, Yao seemed eager to try his hand in the most challenging basketball league in the world.
"This is where I make my new start in my basketball career," said Yao through an interpreter on TNT.
"There's a new league in front of me for me to play. There will be new challenges for me. I know there will be a lot of difficulties in front of me, but I am confident that I will learn from the NBA and improve myself and improve Chinese basketball in the future."
Said Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson: "The whole franchise wanted this so badly. I just felt that it would all be worked out."
The top end of the draft went according to form, as the Chicago Bulls, selecting second, took Duke point guard Jay Williams. His Blue Devils teammate, forward Mike Dunleavy, went third to the Golden State Warriors.
The Memphis Grizzlies, who had been rumored to be considering trading the fourth pick, instead kept it and took Kansas forward Drew Gooden.
Yao's selection marked the continuation of a growing NBA trend toward international players.
Yao, the first foreign-born player to be chosen first overall, was one of three international players taken in the first seven picks, with 7-foot forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili going at No. 5 to the Denver Nuggets, and Nene Hilario, a 6-foot-11 forward from Brazil, going at No. 7 to the New York Knicks.
The choice of Hilario, unknown in most U.S. basketball circles, triggered a chant from "Fire Layden," referring to Knicks general manager Scott Layden, from the partisan New York crowd gathered at Madison Square Garden.
However, Hilario won't be around long enough for Knicks fans to boo, as the team packaged him - and veterans Marcus Camby and Mark Jackson - in a trade to the Nuggets for forward Antonio McDyess, the rights to Illinois point guard Frank Williams (the 25th pick overall) and a second-round pick next year. It was the biggest deal of the night.
The Philadelphia 76ers traded the rights to Czech guard Jiri Welsch, taken 16th overall, to Golden State for future considerations. Also, the Sacramento Kings shipped Gonzaga guard Dan Dickau to the Atlanta Hawks for a future first-round pick. Dickau was chosen 28th.
The three-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers acquired the rights to Missouri guard Kareem Rush, along with Tracy Murray, from the Toronto Raptors for Lindsey Hunter and the rights to the 27th pick, Chris Jefferies.
The Orlando Magic traded the 18th pick, Chris Borchardt, to the Utah Jazz for the 19th pick, Ryan Humphrey, and a second-round pick.
The Los Angeles Clippers' selections of former Maryland sophomore Chris Wilcox at No. 8, and Fresno State forward Melvin Ely at No. 12, would appear to portend another deal, given that the Clippers have an abundance of big players.
Connecticut forward Caron Butler, who had been expected to go fourth, slid to 10th, where he was taken by the Miami Heat, the first ever lottery selection by coach Pat Riley.
"I don't see why I slipped so far in the draft," Butler said. "But I slipped to a good team, and me and my agent and my mother and the rest of my family always said God would put you somewhere where he wants you to be. It's a good vacation trip for my family."
In addition to Williams, Dunleavy and Maryland's Juan Dixon, who was selected by the Washington Wizards with the 17th pick, four other ACC players were selected in the draft, all in the second round.
Virginia guard Roger Mason was taken by the Bulls at No. 31. Duke forward Carlos Boozer was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 35th pick. The Bulls took Maryland forward Lonny Baxter with the 44th pick, and Wake Forest forward Darius Songaila was taken by the Boston Celtics at No. 50.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
NBA DRAFT
First round
1. Houston Yao Ming, China
2. Chicago Jay Williams, Duke
3. Golden State Mike Dunleavy, Duke
4. Memphis Drew Gooden, Kansas
5. Denver Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Rep. of Georgia
6. Cleveland Dajuan Wagner, Memphis
7. Denver-x Nene Hilario, Brazil
8. Clippers Chris Wilcox, Maryland
9. Phoenix Amare Stoudemire, Fla. h.s.
10. Miami Caron Butler, Connecticut
11. Washington Jared Jeffries, Indiana
12. Clippers Melvin Ely, Fresno State
13. Milwaukee Marcus Haislip, Tennessee
14. Indiana Frederick Jones, Oregon
15. Houston Bostjan Nachbar, Slovenia
16. Golden St.-x Jiri Welsch, Czech Rep.
17. Washington Juan Dixon, Maryland,
18. Utah-x Curtis Borchardt, Stanford
19. Orlando-x Ryan Humphrey, Notre Dame
20. Toronto Kareem Rush, Missouri
21. Portland Qyntel Woods, NE Mississippi
22. Phoenix Casey Jacobsen, Stanford
23. Detroit Tayshaun Prince, Kentucky
24. New Jersey Nenad Krstic, Yugoslavia
25. New York-x Frank Williams, Illinois
26. San Antonio John Salmons, Miami
27. L.A. Lakers Chris Jefferies, Fresno State
28. Atlanta-x Dan Dickau, Gonzaga
x-result of trade
By the picks
How the 28 draft choices in the first round break down by class and position:
Underclassmen: 14
International: 6
Seniors: 7
High school: 1
Guards: 8
Guard-forward: 3
Forwards: 11
Forward-center: 3
Centers: 3