NBA Rumors: Yao Ming to Be Inducted Into Hall of Fame
Yao Ming carries the distinction of being the only Chinese-born player in NBA history to have finished a successful career. While he was not the first to play in the world's biggest basketball stage, he definitely earned the most respect. And with that in mind, the former Houston Rockets big man is rightfully going to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
Yao's inclusion to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame says a lot about the man who beat all odds in order to chase his dream of playing in the NBA. As one of the tallest individuals to ever play the game, he offered something unique – the mixture of talent, versatility, and humility on the court. There have been several taller players ahead of him but Yao's offensive abilities were a level higher to them.
The 7-foot-6 center actually honed his raw basketball skills in the Chinese Basketball Association before eventually deciding to join the NBA Draft back in 2002, where he was selected first overall by the Rockets. It was actually a historic selection because he was the very first international player without experience playing in the US NCAA to be drafted first overall.
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While there will be criticisms and arguments against him elected to the Hall of Fame, the thing is his short career shouldn't define the kind of impact he had for basketball. Although there were a lot of controversy surrounding his entry to the NBA, the fact is he brought with him a market to the league comprised of over a billion people. He will be known in history as the player who brought NBA to the world's most populous country; not to mention a nation that is basketball crazy.
In a short nine-year NBA career, Yao compiled averages of 19.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, per ESPN. He made the All-Star eight of those nine seasons, but had to force himself to retirement after suffering recurring foot and ankle issues.
