HOUSTON -- The president of the Organization of Chinese Americans demanded Friday that Los Angeles Lakers star Shaquille O'Neal offer a more serious apology for derogatory remarks he made about Houston Rockets rookie Yao Ming.

Raymond Wong of Houston spoke outside Compaq Center prior to Friday night's game between the Lakers and Rockets that matched O'Neal and the 7-foot-6 Chinese center for the first time.

O'Neal has apologized, saying his comments were a joke.

"We didn't take it as a joke,'' Wong said. "It was more of an excuse because other people do it and it's OK. Well, it's not OK. He doesn't just represent himself. He represents the NBA and he represents his community.''

Following the game, O'Neal reiterated that he'd said he was sorry.

"I've already apologized,'' O'Neal said. "Yao Ming is my brother. The Asian people are my brothers. It was unfortunate that one idiot writer tried to start a racial war over that.

"I grew up an Army kid. I grew up around Asians, around whites, around browns. It was a bad joke. Don't try to make a racial war out of it,'' he said. "Because of what I said, 500 million people saw this game. You ought to thank me for my marketing skills.''

The Rockets won the game 108-104 in overtime and although O'Neal outplayed his young rival, Yao was impressed by the Lakers said.

"One of the most positive things about America is that anyone can fight for equality,'' Yao said. "On the court there is less equality. Shaq is much bigger and stronger than me.''

Several fans carried placards protesting O'Neal, but Wong said his organization only wanted to make a statement.

Wong said his group had sent a letter to NBA commissioner David Stern asking the league to encourage O'Neal to issue a sincere, unqualified apology to Yao and to all Americans for his rhetoric.

A columnist for AsianWeek complained in his newspaper that O'Neal made several derogatory comments about Yao, with the Lakers' center saying, "Tell Yao Ming, 'ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-soh.'''

Tim Andree, NBA senior vice president of communications, issued a statement late Friday regarding O'Neal's comments.

"As commissioner Stern had already stated in an interview with the Arizona Republic on Jan. 12, the NBA has reviewed Shaquille O'Neal's comments and has found them to be insensitive, although not intentionally mean-spirited,'' Andree said.

"Immediately upon learning of the remarks, the NBA contacted the Lakers and O'Neal has issued an apology to Yao, which Yao has accepted.

"Sports, once again, has reminded us how remarks or ill-fated attempts at humor can be hurtful, harmful and ultimately divisive. The NBA does not condone remarks that are insensitive to any nationality, race or religion.''

The statement pointed out that there are players from 34 countries playing in the league this season.

Wong's organization also wants the NBA to issue a statement denouncing race-based taunts by all NBA personnel and to require diversity awareness seminars for all NBA personnel, including players and coaching staffs.

Yao has not joined the protest, choosing instead to accept O'Neal's comments as a joke.

"He may not be as sensitized because where he comes from, people don't make fun of Chinese or Asian people,'' Wong said. "I grew up in the South, so I know how sensitive Asian people are.

"They'd rather go ahead and let it go and live with it and say it's OK. But there comes a time when it's not OK.''

Charlene Tsang-Kao, president of the Greater Houston chapter of the OCA, said she understood Yao's position.

"We do not blame Yao Ming,'' Tsang-Kao said. "He has shown wonderful grace the way he has responded. Yao is new to our country. We as Asian-Americans were born here and live here and have felt the impact of statements by Shaquille O'Neal.

"We've heard it on the playgrounds, we've heard it in all walks of life. I don't think he (Yao) should have done anything different. But as Asian-Americans we should speak out.''

O'Neal owns a $651,000 home in suburban Fort Bend County where, according to the 2000 census, the county's 11 percent Asian-American population was the largest in the state.

Houston's 4.2 million population is about 5 percent Asian-American and about 1 percent Chinese-American.

Wong said if O'Neal doesn't offer an acceptable apology, the OCA would take further action.