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| For Chinese fans, Yao's international stardom encapsulated the optimism of an emerging nation with global ambitions. Recent generations of Chinese players have struggled to match Yao's natural talent, said basketball expert Xing Chen. (File photo by= PETER PARKS/ AFP) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] BEIJING: Basketball Hall of Famer, business magnate, cultural ambassador - no Chinese athlete carries a richer legacy than Yao Ming, whose towering 2.29m stormed into the NBA 20 years ago, AFP reported.
The center was drafted by the Houston Rockets on Jun 26, 2002, kickstarting a glittering career that won him a succession of personal accolades and transformed the Shanghai-born Yao into a household name in both China and the United States. A languid but deceptively agile player, Yao's gentle personality and wry humor off the court cemented him as a fan favorite and boosted the NBA's popularity in his home nation.
Since his emergence, no Chinese player has come close to matching his achievements, and the prospect appears even less likely as the league has become mired in simmering tensions between Beijing and Washington. In 2002, Yao was a face of an increasingly confident and open China, one whose economic rise was being matched by global sporting prowess. The son of two former basketball pros, Yao cut his teeth with Shanghai Sharks before joining the Rockets as their first pick in the 2002 NBA draft. Yao played in eight All-Star Games and made the All-NBA Teams on five occasions, but injuries forced him to retire in 2011 at the age of 30.
