Scouting Report on 7'9" Basketball Player Sun Ming Ming

I'm definitely not a professional scout, but I know a thing or two about basketball. So when Sun Ming Ming's Grand Rapids Flight team came to town (March 23, 2007), I decided to go to the game and see what Sun had to offer. Based on only one game, here is my report on his basketball skills.

I also shot video to go along with this scouting report. These videos are available here.

Sun Ming Ming

Age: 23

Height: 7'9"
Weight: 370 pounds (He looks a bit skinnier than his reported weight, but it's tough to tell for somebody that size)
Shoe Size: 20

Shooting Scouting Report: When Sun Ming Ming shoots, you expect something similar to a Shaquille O'Neal free throw shot. But his shooting stroke is surprisingly smooth. He is a decent jump shooter within 16 feet or so. He could teach Shaq a thing or two here.

Inside Game Scouting Report: In warm-ups, you can see Sun Ming Ming is working on his post moves. It's not there yet. With his size, Sun has no problem backing his defender down close to the basket. But he becomes lost once there. His footwork is slow and clumsy. Sun struggles to dunk from even a few feet from the basket, which hurts his ability to score. For somebody his size, he is a bit weak in the post.

Speed/Agility Scouting Report: Sun is neither fast nor agile. He is slow to get up and down the court, often trailing his teammates.

Defense Scouting Report: Sun Ming Ming's lack of mobility seriously reduces his ability to defend an opponent man to man. He's a liability on the defensive end. However, he looked better in zone as a big body to clog up the middle. Just by putting his hands up (which almost reach the basket), Sun is able to affect a shooter's shot. He doesn't get many blocks though.

Rebounding Scouting Report: Sun Ming Ming gets plenty of rebounds because of his size, but his lack of speed and agility keep him from getting to many balls out of his reach. Also, he doesn't seem to grab rebounds with strength. I can't tell if it's a lack of strength or a hand-eye coordination problem, but Sun loses some rebounds he should get his hands on.

Passing Scouting Report: Sun Ming Ming is a surprisingly good passer from the high post. With his height, he seems to have the vision to see over every defender, finding the open man.

Endurance Scouting Report: Sun Ming Ming tires after about 6 clock minutes of playing time. To be fair, he plays in a less fundamental league with quick trips up and down the court. But his lack of endurance is clear. It's hard to tell how much is a result of conditioning and how much is result of his health condition.

Personality Scouting Report: Sun Ming Ming appeared timid early in the game, but became more confident as he got in the flow of things. When not getting much playing time, he appeared disinterested in the game, walking away from the team huddle. On the bench, he was quiet and consistently sat alone on the end farthest away from the coach. Late in the game, however, he became more engaged in the game and even began calling for the ball. Sun appears very coachable and interested to learn.