Word: yao
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...long since hit the big leagues. In the U.S. sneaker wars, the company took the bronze in 2003 with 11% of the market, just behind Reebok (and miles behind Nike in first). Perhaps more impressive, while Nike and Reebok shower millions of dollars on superstars like LeBron James and Yao Ming, New Balance has soared to near the top of the sneaker charts--dusting even international powerhouse Adidas--by running solo, proudly proclaiming that it is "endorsed...
...teeth on edge. "Asians lack muscle?" asked one. "Asians lack the will to win?" Then came the kicker, as Liu raised his arms above the trademark Swoosh on his shoulder: "Stereotypes are made to be broken." It was an instant success. "Nike understands why Chinese are proud," says Li Yao, a weekend player at Swoosh-bedecked basketball courts near Beijing's Tiananmen Square...
...that amounts to a frayed shoelace compared with losing China's most famous living human. Yao Ming had worn Nike since Rhoads discovered him as a skinny kid with a sweet jumper--and brought him some size 18s made for NBA All-Star Alonzo Mourning. In 1999 he signed Yao to a four-year contract worth $200,000. But Nike let his contract expire last year. Yao defected to Reebok for an estimated $100 million. The failure leaves Nike executives visibly dejected. "The only thing I know is, we lost Yao Ming," says a Shanghai executive who negotiated with...
...island home of Mehmet Okur, an unknown even in his home country, who became a burgeoning star for the Pistons. And how, with little more than qiu, he wrangled an invite to a cramped Shanghai apartment for the 18th birthday party of a 7-ft. 6-in. kid named Yao Ming...
After a few more years in the Arabian sun, Ronzone joined the Dallas Mavericks in 1997 and based himself in China, where he and Nelson nudged the Chinese government into letting the Mavs sign 7-ft. 1-in. Wang Zhizhi (paving the way for Yao Ming's arrival in the U.S.). In 2001, Ronzone was poached by the Pistons, who, never having drafted an international player, gave him carte blanche to travel. After years of frequent-flying, though, Ronzone discovered he could cut back. "If I'm going to three normal countries--say, Italy, Spain and France--I now have...