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Sports - Islanders
Islander Big Man Learns from Yao Ming's Tutor
Posted: Jul 9, 2012 10:53 PM by Drew Collins - dcollins@kristv.com
Updated: Jul 9, 2012 11:08 PM
CORPUS CHRISTI - Islander Basketball 7-footer Ted Wang moved to the U.S. from China two years ago. It has been a difficult transition for Ted, but now he's getting help from his Coach's old friend. Cyril White, the director of 'To God be the Glory Basketball' in Houston. White makes several trips to China every year for basketball reasons and to learn more about the culture. "Having them make a connection, I think it brings a level of comfort and a level of understanding and sensitivity to some of the things Ted is experiencing while he is here," TAMUCC Head Coach Willis Wilson said.
Coach Wilson and White have been friends for more than 20 years, after first meeting at a Rice University Basketball Camp. Wilson spent 16 seasons as the head coach of the Owls from 1992-2008.
White has worked with many athletes in his lifetime, the biggest (literally), being 7-foot-2-inch Chinese basketball star Yao Ming. "I want to get the opportunity to see how my knowledge of China, China Culture, and China Basketball could help Ted get better acclimated to being here," said White.
Ted's transition to America didn't get off to a great start. "When I first got here, I felt like an individual," said Wang. "I couldn't get the feeling of team as family."
Coach Wilson said that he wanted to make a connection for Ted to "bring home to him", and he felt White would be a perfect fit.
"The quicker that he can grasp the way things are done in America and not always make a reference back to his chinese culture, that's going to help him be able to flourish and thrive more here," said White about Ted's transition. "He's going to have to change the conditions. The conditions are not going to change to him."
Ted is well on his way to feeling comfortable. "I feel more like a family. Everybody knows me on campus," said Wang. "When I walk out on campus, they say 'hi Ted' and 'hey Ted'. This is my home."
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