NBA Stars Who Give Back

Yao Ming

When he was selected as the first overall draft pick for the NBA in 2002, Yao Ming was already a star in China. As one of the first Chinese players to join the NBA, Yao did a great deal on and off the court to help bridge American and Chinese culture. A record number of viewers saw the first time that he played against fellow Chinese NBA player Yi Jianlian; over 200 million people tuned in from China alone. Unfortunately, Yao was forced into an early retirement after a string of injuries caused him to miss large portions of several seasons in a row. At the time of his retirement, Yao was the tallest active player in the NBA, standing 7 feet 6 inches tall.

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Review Date: 
April 24, 2014

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Last Updated:
July 1, 2014