Houston Rockets center Yao Ming says that after two seasons he is feeling more at home in America.

So much so that he has written a book titled Yao: A Life In Two Worlds, which details his journey from China to the NBA, his fight to gain approval from Chinese officials to leave his homeland to pursue his dream and his adaptation to his new country.

"I'm really enjoying life here," says Yao, the No. 1 pick overall in the 2002 NBA draft. "My first year, I feel like China people who come here to work. Whether I'm staying at home in Houston or going to the Rockets' practice court or to the Rockets' game court, it all feels the same. Like a factory. The second year it was less. This year, when I come to Houston it is normal. Nothing feels different than in Shanghai. I'm more at home now. Shanghai or Houston, it's only a little difference."

Yao spent most of last week in New York promoting the book, which he wrote with ESPN The Magazine senior writer Ric Bucher. Yao appeared on The Today Show and Regis and Kelly. He also held a book signing in Manhattan and appeared at the NBA Store.

Through the early days of training camp, it is evident that Yao's training regimen didn't suffer because of his book tour.

"I'm not getting tired as quickly," he says. "I can go up and down the court many times without stopping."

"Last year he came in woefully out of shape," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy says. "This year he's taking his conditioning much more seriously. It's hard to imagine a guy in 12 months progressing as much as he did from a conditioning standpoint."

However, Yao says Van Gundy's conditioning drills are still challenging.

"As my conditioning has gone up, Jeff's level has gone up," Yao says. "He never stops. He never lets us stop."

(Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2004)