. ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁Rock ets ▁posted ▁a ▁dis mal ▁ 2 8 – 5 4 ▁record , ▁landing ▁them ▁into ▁the ▁lot tery , ▁where ▁they ▁selected ▁ 7 ' 6 " ▁Chinese ▁center ▁Y ao ▁M ing ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁pick ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁NBA ▁D raft . ▁Francis ▁and ▁Y ao ▁gel led ▁their ▁first ▁season ▁together , ▁and ▁were ▁selected ▁as ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁NBA ▁All - Star ▁Game ▁star ters . ▁Francis ▁scored ▁a ▁career - high ▁ 4 4 ▁points ▁in ▁a ▁nation ally ▁tele vised ▁home ▁win ▁against ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁L akers ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁The ▁team ▁went ▁ 4 3 – 3 9 , ▁again ▁missing ▁the ▁play offs . ▁ ▁Rock ets ▁head ▁coach ▁Rud y ▁Tom jan ov ich ▁stepped ▁down ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁and ▁the ▁team ▁selected ▁ex - New ▁York ▁Kn icks ▁coach ▁Jeff ▁Van ▁G und y ▁as ▁his ▁successor . ▁Van ▁G und y ' s ▁co aching ▁style ▁did ▁not ▁fit ▁Francis ' s ▁style ▁of ▁play . ▁Even ▁though ▁Francis ▁made ▁the ▁All - Star ▁game ▁for ▁a ▁third ▁straight ▁year ▁his ▁stats ▁decl ined ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 – 0 4 , ▁dro pping ▁from ▁ 2 1 . 0 ▁P PG , ▁ 6 . 2 ▁R PG , ▁and ▁ 6 . 2 ▁AP G ▁to ▁ 1 6 .