To say Illinois Central Junior College basketball player, Shang Ping, is highly recruited is a bit like calling Hurricane Rita moist. Last year there were more Division 1 coaches watching Ping’s games than civilians. Making this even more unusual is that the 6’10 lefthander from China never played high school ball in the U.S., but instead played one year in Auckland, New Zealand. So now Shang Ping is playing in Peoria, answering one of the age old entertainment questions. By the way, the answer is YES!!

    We sent Little Lyle to Peoria to check out the hubbub because even Little Lyle’s favorite school is in on the recruiting. Lyle found out Shang’s English is improving as well as his game. Here are more things Lyle found out about Shang:

    Shang’s parents were both professional basketball players and still live in northeast city of Harbin, China. Shang is apparently a descendent from the Ping Dynasty, which benevolently spread culture throughout Northern China using a table, little balls and a paddle. 

    Favorite video game: Pong
    Second favorite video game: Donkey Kong
    Favorite thing to do when out at the mall: Hang
    Favorite orange flavored drink: Tang
    Favorite type of lemon pie: Meringue
    Favorite William Hung song: Shebang
    Favorite Star Trek character: Kang
    Favorite Star Trek species: Kling… on
    Favorite Panda: Ling
    Favorite part of chicken: Wing
    Favorite Houston restaurant: Ming’s
    Favorite Prison: Sing Sing
    Favorite thing about U.S.: Freedom
    Favorite thing to do with freedom: Let it Ring
    Favorite dance: Swing
    Favorite four dimensional space-time physics theory: String
    Favorite fashion accessory: Bling
    Favorite sea Ray until it accidentally killed Steve Irwin: Sting
    Favorite type of “uistics”: Ling
    Favorite type of blade in a Billy Bob Thornton movie: Sling
    Favorite movie about college: The Sure Thing
    Favorite horror movie: Alien

    Whoa, hold it. Shang Ping’s favorite horror movie is “Alien” and not “The Thing?”
That seems wrong, we tell Little Lyle. Lyle says no, Shang Ping liked The Thing, the John Carpenter 1982 version, because it starred Kurt Russell, who he loved in Big Trouble in Little China, which incidentally also starred two of his favorite Chinese actors, James Hong and Victor Wong, but, Little Lyle tells us, The Thing didn’t have the suspense or the exciting chest busting scene found in Alien.     
    Okay. Who’s going to argue with a 6’10, 235 pound Chinese lefthander? Not us.