Yao Ming

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Lore & Background

Yao Ming's arrival in the NBA was preceded by intense negotiations between the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), the Shanghai Sharks, and a group of advisers known as "Team Yao." The CBA stipulated that Yao would have to return to play for the Chinese national team and that he could only go to the NBA if the team that drafted him agreed to certain terms. After assurances from Team Yao, the CBA gave permission on the morning of the 2002 draft for Yao to play in the U.S. He became the first international player ever to be selected first overall without having previously played U.S. college basketball. Before his rookie season, several commentators predicted Yao would fail. Charles Barkley said he would "kiss Kenny Smith's ass" if Yao scored 19 points or more in one of his rookie-season games. On November 17, 2002, Yao scored 20 points on a perfect 9-of-9 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line against the Lakers. Barkley made good on his bet by kissing the buttock of a donkey purchased by Smith for the occasion. Yao's rookie year was the subject of a documentary film, The Year of the Yao, and he co-wrote an autobiography titled Yao: A Life in Two Worlds with NBA analyst Ric Bucher. In April 2016, Yao was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, becoming the first Chinese national to be inducted.

In Their Own Story

The night of January 17, 2003, marked Yao Ming's first meeting with Shaquille O'Neal. Before the game, O'Neal said, "Tell Yao Ming, ching chong-yang-wah-ah-soh," prompting accusations of racism. O'Neal denied his comments were racist, saying he was only joking. Yao said he believed O'Neal was joking, but added that a lot of Asians would not see the humor. In the game, Yao scored the Rockets' first six points and blocked O'Neal twice in the opening minutes, also altering two other shots by O'Neal—all four of those attempts coming right at the rim. With 10 seconds left in overtime, Yao made a game-sealing dunk. He finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 blocks; O'Neal recorded 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 0 blocks. O'Neal later expressed regret for the way he treated Yao early in his career. That same season, the NBA began offering All-Star ballots in three languages—English, Spanish, and Chinese—for fan voting. Yao was voted to start for the West over O'Neal, who was coming off three consecutive NBA Finals MVP Awards. Yao received nearly a quarter million more votes than O'Neal, becoming the first rookie to start in the All-Star Game since Grant Hill in 1995.

Reader's Guide

Yao Ming's career with the Rockets was defined by a series of specific milestones. In his rookie season (2002–03), he averaged 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, finished second in the NBA Rookie of the Year Award voting to Amar'e Stoudemire, and was a unanimous pick for the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He also won the Sporting News Rookie of the Year and the Laureus Newcomer of the Year award. In his sophomore season under new head coach Jeff Van Gundy, Yao averaged career highs in points and rebounds. In February 2004, he had a career-high 41 points and 7 assists in a triple-overtime win against the Atlanta Hawks. He finished the season averaging 17.5 points and 9.0 rebounds a game, and the Rockets made the playoffs for the first time in his career, claiming the seventh seed in the Western Conference. Yao's final season was cut short by foot and ankle injuries that forced him to miss 250 games in his last six seasons. He announced his retirement in July 2011. In eight seasons with the Rockets, he ranks sixth among franchise leaders in total points and total rebounds, and second in total blocks. In February 2017, Yao was unanimously elected as chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Did You Know?

• At birth, Yao weighed 11 pounds (5.0 kg), more than twice the average weight of a Chinese newborn.
• Yao was examined by sports doctors at age 10, when he measured 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m); they predicted he would grow to 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 m).
• In his final year with the Shanghai Sharks, Yao averaged 38.9 points and 20.2 rebounds per game during the playoffs, shooting 76.6% from the field.
• Yao made all 21 of his shots during one game in the CBA finals.
• Yao is the first Chinese national to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (elected in April 2016).