YaoMingmightbeagentlegiant,butheisslowlylearningtherough-and-tumblewaysoftheNBA.Earlierthisseason,the7-foot-6Rocketscenterevenengagedinalittlefriendlytrash-talkingwithBullsforwardTysonChandler."Hetoldmehewasgoingtomakemeswallowmymouthpiece,"Chandlersaid.　　IfonlyYaocoulddothesametohiscritics.Nowinhisthirdseason,theformerNo.1overallpickstillhearswhispersthathehasn'tliveduptothehype.DespitesolidprogressinmanyareasofthegameandthreeAll-Startrips,YaostillisscoffedatbymanyforbeingmoreRikSmitsthanShaquilleO'NealorHakeemOlajuwon.　　"AllIcandoistrytoprovemyself,"hesays."I'velearnedthatmymethodofplayingbasketballisalittledifferentfromhowit'sdoneoverhere."　　Asusual,Yaoisbeingtoonice.Whatheshouldsayissomethinglike:Getoffmyback!I'monly24yearsold!Can'tyouAmericanseverwaitforanything?!　　TherealityisthatwhileYaomightnotbedominatingtheNBA,heisdoingjustfinebymostreasonablestandards.AsofWednesdayhewasaveragingacareer-best18.6pointstogowith8.3reboundswhilerankingthirdintheNBAinfieldgoalpercentage(55.0)and11thinblocks(1.89).Whilehestillhasmanyareastoimproveupon,includingonthebackboardsandinhisoverallaggressiveness,theChinesephenomisgenerallyregardedasoneofthetopfourtruecenters(alongwithShaq,BenWallaceandZydrunasIlgauskas)intheleague.　　"He'sgoingthroughthatnaturalperiodwherepeoplewanttonitpicktheveryfewnegativeshemayhaveinsteadofextollingallhispositives,"RocketscoachJeffVanGundysays."Andinalittleover31minutesagameheaverages18and8.Hecomestoworkeveryday.He'stotallyselfless.Yetsomewanttobadgertheguyaboutwhateverperceivedshortcomingshehas.Ifindthatunfortunatebecauseiftheyspenthalfthetimelookingatallhispositivesitwouldbeamuchbetterstory."　　PartoftheproblemforYaoisthatotheryoungNBAstarssuchasLeBronJames,DwyaneWadeandAmareStoudemirehavebeenabletocomeintotheleagueandshowmoredramaticprogressrightaway.IthasmadeYao'sdevelopmentseemalmostsnail-likeincomparison,especiallyasthoseplayersfilltheSportsCenterhighlightsonanightlybasiswhileYaoplodsalonginmoreofasupportingroletoTracyMcGrady.　　EvenYaorecentlycameoutandsaidhewasn'tsatisfiedwithhisdevelopment.Afterhisteam'sshootaroundTuesdayinChicagohemarveledattheimprovementshownbyStoudemire,whoedgedhimforRookieoftheYearhonorsin'03."Hecanreallyshooteasiernow,"Yaosays."Hecanshootitfrom17-18feet.Idon'tknowhowhedidit....WhenIplayedagainsthimlastyear,ondefenseIjustsaggedbackallthewaytopaint.Thisyearyouhavetocomeouttocontesthislong-rangejumpshotanddefendhispenetration.It'smuchharder."