When and where was Yao Ming born?
Yao Ming entered the world on the 12th of September 1980 in Shanghai. He weighed more than twice the average weight of a Chinese newborn at birth.
Questions about Yao Ming
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What injuries ended Yao Ming's basketball career?
Yao Ming suffered multiple foot and ankle injuries including osteomyelitis, stress fractures, and broken bones between 2005 and 2010. These injuries forced him to miss 250 games in his last six seasons before he announced retirement on the 20th of July 2011.
How did Yao Ming perform during his rookie season with the Houston Rockets?
Yao finished his rookie season averaging thirteen point five points and eight point two rebounds per game. He scored no points in his first game against the Indiana Pacers but hit his first basket against the Denver Nuggets.
Why is Yao Ming significant for international players in the NBA draft?
The Houston Rockets selected him as the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft making him the first international player ever chosen number one without playing U.S. college basketball. This selection made him the first Chinese national to be inducted into the Hall of Fame later in 2016.
What business ventures has Yao Ming pursued after retiring from professional sports?
On the 16th of July 2009 Yao bought his former club team the Shanghai Sharks which were facing financial troubles. He opened a winery called Yao Family Wines in Napa Valley, California in 2016 and served as chair of the Chinese Basketball Association from 2017 until his resignation in 2024 due to personal issues.