March 27, 2001; Page 2C

Yao Ming faces more difficult road

By Steve Friess

BEIJING -- While 7-foot Chinese center Wang Zhizhi appears to be making a fast break for the NBA,7-6 compatriot Yao Ming appears mired in messy negotiations over whether his team will let him enterthe NBA draft this spring.

At issue is whether 20-year-old Yao can deal directly with his team, the Shanghai Sharks, for the right to declare for the draft.

Yao signed a three-way contract with the Sharks and Cleveland-based Evergreen Sports in 1999, but quickly insisted he wanted out because it wasn't favorable to him. In recent months, Yao had been advised by San Francisco-based Bill Duffy Associates and Nike, who appeared close to securing Yao's ability to come to the NBA.

Yet Duffy says NBA agent David Falk had recently inserted himself by somehow obtaining the rights to Yao conferred in the Evergreen contract.

Falk denies any involvement with Yao, who scouts believe could be this year's No. 1 draft pick. Yet the Sharks have said they are unsure who to negotiate with, prompting Yao to write a scathing letter this week disavowing the original contract.

''Rumor has it I have already retained the services of Mr. David Falk as my agent,'' Yao wrote to the NBA players union. ''I have never met Mr. Falk . . . nor have any intention of signing any representation agreement with Mr. Falk.''

Says Falk: ''I would never represent a player who didn't want me to work for him. If Yao Ming told me he didn't want me, I would never bother him.''

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