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The time has come for NBA players to get their first look at Yao Ming, the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. The Chinese national team play an exhibition game against Team USA on Thursday in Oakland, which will pit Ming against top NBA talents such as Indiana’s Jermaine O’Neal and Chicago’s Jay Williams. Ming, a 7-foot-5 center, will be joined by Mengke Bateer and Wang Zhizhi, the two other Chinese nationals who play in the NBA. The exhibition is a primer for the 2002 FIBA World Basketball Championships beginning Aug. 29 in Indianapolis … David Tua floored former heavyweight champion Michael Moorer in 30 seconds at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort in Atlantic City, N.J. Tua, whose career record improved to 41-3, had previously knocked out John Ruiz in 19 seconds in a 1996 bout … Michelle Kwan had a whirlwind of a summer as she recently completed 93 shows in 85 cities for the John Hancock Champions on Ice tour. Kwan, who captured the Olympic bronze medal in figure skating at Salt Lake City, has not decided if she will return to UCLA to start her sophomore year. She also has not hinted if she will pursue the figure skating gold in 2006 … Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Kazuhisa Ishii earned his first win since July 14 when he silenced the Montreal Expos 5-2 on Aug. 14. Ishii, who allowed three hits and two unearned runs in six innings, won only his second game since the All-Star break. Ishii, still a candidate for the National League’s Rookie of the Year Award, is now 13-7 with a 4.00 ERA … Tiger Woods missed a chance at history as he lost to Rich Beem by one stroke at the PGA Championship at Chaska, Minn. Woods shot a 67 in the last round, but a gutsy performance by Beem ended Woods’ chance in duplicating what he did in 2000 —winning three majors in one year. Ben Hogan is the only other player to achieve that feat … Se Ri Pak finished in fifth place at the LPGA Canadian Women’s Open at Summerlea Golf and Country Club in Quebec. Pak, who won $49,500, was four shots behind tournament champion Meg Mallon.
Reach Ethen Lieser at elieser@asianweek.com.
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