Say Hello to my Little Friend X2!

So ya'll might have heard of this Sun Ming Ming dude in the news this week. Yes, he's that 7-foot-9 Chinese center that overcame a brain tumor that was attached to his pituitary gland and making him grow. If you think about it, it's a remarkable story. I had heard many things about him from various media outlets and blogs on the internet...some saying he has game and can play in the NBA while others saying he's a freak show and belonged in the circus.

Well Ladies and gents, after watching him play a game live, this Sun Ming Ming is for real. He has the softest touch from the foul line and can knock down a 15-footer. Only thing Sun needs to work on is his conditioning, strength, and speed.


So today Sun Ming Ming was in NYC and was on NBC's Today Show. You can watch the video here. Yes, he missed an uncontested dunk on national TV, but according to my boss, it was "part of the plan" so they could replay it over-and-over again...which they did!

After it aired on TV around 8:50AM, I awoke to 36 emails from the media, fans, and companies that want to endorse Sun...he just makes my job so much easier! After being on TV, Sun flew back to Maryland and went directly to Leland gym in Chevy Chase, MD to work with former Washington Wizards 7-foot-7 center Georghe Muresan.

I received a text message in between my economics and statistics class in the morning from Nighthawks owner Tome Doyle, asking me if I could go to the gym and pick up Sun when he was done. Being the trooper that I am, I said no problem.

I went to the gym right after I got out of class and found Muresan and Sun working on jump shots, post moves, and conditioning...can't really miss a 7-foot-9 and 7-foo-7 player in a gym. Gheorghe came up to me and remembered me from last season when he played one game for the Nighthawks and we chatted for a bit.

Then he wanted me to feed Sun the ball in the post as Muresan guarded him. I threw him crisp passes...to crisp Muresan couldn't get his hands on it...I always knew my rec basketball days would lead me to playing against NBA players...thank you Dad aka Coach Dantus! On one play, Sun gave me "that look" to throw him an alley oop pass over big Gheorghe. I did so but didn't realize Sun could barley leave the ground. Muresan started talking to me with his thick Romanian accent to stick to the fundamentals and not this "White Chocolate streetball rubbish", but it was funny and I just started laughing.

After post drills and foul shooting (Sun made 10 of 10 foul shots) Muresan and Sun went one-on-one in some hard fought action. Muresan scored the first three points and then Sun got rolling. He knocked down three consecutive jump shots and drove baseline on Muresan and threw down the reversed on handed jam...bringing Muresan in awe and shouting "So Big." Who would ever think a 7-foot-7 player being dwarfed! Sun Ming Ming would go on to win the game 6-5.


The highlight of the day had to be when Muresan cranked up the music, put on some 50 cent and started dancing (just like how he did in that old ESPN commercial...see below). That got me on the ground almost killed myself of laughter...and for ya'll interest, Sun Ming Ming has no moves whatsoever...me and one of my friends plan on taking Sun clubbing and teach him the good stuff.




So after their 3 hour workout, Sun Ming Ming got in my car and we headed back..with may I say some difficulties. When he sat down in the passenger seat, he almost took the seat out as the bolts started coming loose...I guess a Chrysler Sebring convertible aint built for the second tallest man in the world. As we were driving back, everyone started beeping there horns seeing Sun Ming Ming was in the car...I knew I should have gotten tinted windows!