Yao Ming

Yao Ming
Player information
birthday	12th September 1980 (age 39)
place of birth	Shanghai , China
size	229 cm
Weight	141 kg
position	center
NBA draft	2002 , 1st pick, Houston Rockets
Jersey number	11
Clubs as active
1997–2002 Shanghai Sharks 2002–2011 Houston Rockets
National team
1998-2011	China

Yao Ming ( Chinese  姚明 , Pinyin Yáo Míng ; born September 12, 1980 in Shanghai ) is a former Chinese basketball player who played as a center for the Houston Rockets . Until the time of his resignation in July 2011, he was the tallest active player in the North American professional league NBA with a height of 2.29 meters .

After four years in the Shanghai Sharks' youth division , Yao played for five years in the first team from the age of 17, with which he won the title of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) in his last year in China . He then moved to the NBA. In the 2002 NBA Draft , the Houston Rockets selected him at the top of the draft. Since Yao played for the Houston Rockets, the team has only made it past the first round of the play-offs once . In the last five seasons he was out due to injuries for a long time. From his very first season onwards, Yao was chosen every year as a starter in the Western Conference team for the NBA All-Star Game , and was also appointed to an All-NBA team five times . In 2016 he was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame .

Yao Ming is married to Chinese basketball player Ye Li , a former national player, with whom he has a daughter. He is one of the best-known athletes in China, has advertising contracts with several large corporations and has been considered the richest prominent Chinese for several years. Yao's first year in the NBA was the subject of the documentary The Year of the Yao (2004). Together with the journalist Ric Bucher he wrote the autobiography Yao: A Life in Two Worlds .

Career in China and NBA draft

Yao Ming

Yao was born on September 12, 1980 in Shanghai. His father, Yao Zhiyuan, is 2.08 meters tall and his mother, Fengdi Fang, is 1.88 meters. Fang was the captain of China's national women's basketball team. Yao's parents were the largest couple in China at the time of his birth.

At the age of 13, Yao applied to the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). In order to be accepted into the team, he trained up to ten hours a day. After four years in the youth field, he played for the first team at the age of 17. At that time he was already 2.26 meters tall. In his first season (1997/98) he scored an average of 10 points and 8  rebounds per game. The following season, Yao broke his foot early in the season and for the second time in his career, which he said reduced his jumping ability by 10-15 cm. The Sharks reached the play-offs in the following two seasons , but lost each to the Bayi Rockets . Then Wang Zhizhi left the Bayi Rockets for the NBA , becoming the first Chinese player in league history a year before Yao. The Sharks won the CBA title for the first time this season. In the play-offs of his fifth and final season in Shanghai, Yao reached 38.9 points and 20.2 rebounds per game, with a hit rate of 76.6% from the field. In one of the finals he converted all of his 21 throws.

Li Yaomin, deputy general manager of the Sharks, urged Yao to participate in the NBA draft in 1999 . Li also acted on Yao to sign a contract with Evergreen Sports Inc. as a players agent. According to the contract, 33% of Yao's earnings should go to Evergreen, but the contract was later invalidated.

After Yao's decision to switch to the NBA in 2002, a team of advisors was formed that would become known as “Team Yao”. The team consisted of Erik Zhang, the negotiator; Bill Duffy, Yao's NBA advisor; Lu Hao, his Chinese adviser; John Huizinga, an economics professor at the University of Chicago ; and Bill Sanders, vice president for marketing at BDA Sports Management . Yao was widely predicted to be the number 1 pick. However, some teams worried about Yao's approval for the NBA because it was not yet clear whether the CBA would approve Yao's move to the United States.

Shortly before, Wang Zhizhi had refused to return to China when he was about to play for the Chinese national basketball team and was subsequently excluded from playing on the national team. So the CBA insisted on Yao that he must return to compete for the Chinese national team. They also made it a condition that he was only allowed to move to the Houston Rockets as a number 1 pick. After the assurance by "Team Yao", the CBA gave its approval to move to the USA on the morning of the 2002 draft . This made him the first foreign player in the history of the NBA drafts to be selected at number 1 despite a lack of US college experience.

Careers in the NBA

First years (2002-2005)

Yao did not participate in the Rockets' pre-season but instead played for China in the 2002 World Basketball Championship . In his first NBA game against the Indiana Pacers , he only achieved a point and a rebound. He scored his first basket in the NBA against the Denver Nuggets . In the first seven games, Yao was on the field for an average of only 14 minutes and averaged four points. This seemed to confirm the skepticism that respected reporters like Bill Simmons and Dick Vitale had expressed months ago. From mid-November, however, Yao played increasingly in the team: After 20 points against the Los Angeles Lakers and - two games later - 30 points and 16 rebounds against the Dallas Mavericks , he was placed in the starting line-up of the Rockets.

Yao preparing for a free throw against the Utah Jazz, with John Stockton in the background (December 2002)

Yao ended his rookie season with an average of 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. In the election for Rookie of the Year (“Newcomer of the Year”), he came second behind Amar'e Stoudemire , and he was unanimously selected for the NBA All-Rookie First Team . Other awards included the Sporting News Rookie of the Year and the Laureus Newcomer of the Year Award .

Before the start of Yao's second season ( 2003/04 ), Rudy Tomjanovich resigned as head coach of the Rockets for health reasons. Jeff Van Gundy, longtime head coach at the New York Knicks, took over his position . Van Gundy began to align the offensive game on Yao, which improved Yao's point yield and rebound cut. In a game against the Atlanta Hawks in February 2004, which was only decided after three extra times in favor of Houston, he set new career records with 41 points and 7  assists . For the second year in a row, Yao was selected as the starting center in the NBA All-Star Game . Yao finished the season with 17.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.

With seventh place in the Western Conference , the Rockets reached the play-offs for the first time in Yao's career, but lost in the first round to the Los Angeles Lakers. Yao scored an average of 15.0 points and 7.4 rebounds.

In 2004, the Rockets brought in multiple all-star Tracy McGrady from Orlando Magic . After this commitment, the Rockets were traded as a title contender for the 2004/05 season . Both McGrady and Yao were chosen as starters in the NBA Allstar Game. In the fan vote by which the players are selected for the Allstar Game, Yao broke Michael Jordan's record from 1997 with a total of 2,558,278 votes . The Rockets won 51 games in the season and ended the regular season in fifth place in the Western Conference. In this second play-off participation in a row, the team met the Dallas Mavericks . Houston won the first two games in Dallas . Yao converted 13 of his 14 throws in the second game, setting a new record for the best throw result in the Rockets' play-off history. Ultimately, the Rockets lost four of the last five games, including the decisive game 7 with a 40 point difference. Yao finished this game series with an average of 21.4 points (with a 65% hit rate) and 7.7 rebounds.

Injury Seasons (2005-2010)

After missing just two games from a total of 246 games in the first three years of his NBA stint (remarkable for a player of his size as tall players are particularly prone to injury), Yao fell in his fourth season ( 2005/06 ) due to osteomyelitis for the first time over a long period of time. The bone marrow inflammation in the big toe of his left foot was operated on on December 18, 2005. Although he missed 21 games due to surgery and rehab, he was again elected with the highest number of votes as a starter in the All-Star Game.

In his fifth NBA season, Yao reached the career record averaging 25 points per game

In the 25 games after the All-Star weekend, Yao achieved an average of 25.7 points and 11.6 rebounds, his throw rates were 53.7% from the field and 87.8% on free throws . At the end of the season, in which he played 57 games, he had an average of 22.3 points and 10.2 rebounds. This was the first time that he ended a season with a so-called "20/10 average". Tracy McGrady also missed numerous games. He only played 47 games due to back problems, and he and Yao only played 31 games together. With just 34 wins from 82 games, the Rockets missed the play-offs. Four game days before the end of the season, Yao injured himself again: In the game against Utah Jazz on April 10, 2006, he broke his left foot and had to pause for half a year.

Early in his fifth season ( 2006/07 ), on December 23, 2006, Yao injured himself again: he broke his right knee while trying to block a throw. In the season he had by then averaged 26.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, and was traded as a candidate for the MVP title. Due to the injury, he missed the All-Star Game, which would have been the fifth for him. In the league he was missing 34 games until he was able to play again in early March.

Despite the long absence of Yao, the Rockets reached the play-offs. Houston won the first two games of the best-of-seven series against the Utah Jazz, but four of the next five games were lost. Houston lost their seventh game at home despite 29 points from Yao, 15 of them in the final quarter. Although Yao averaged 25.1 points and 10.3 rebounds in the play-off games, he was not satisfied with himself and said that he " did not do my job" ("I didn't do my job") .

On May 18, 2007, a few weeks after the Rockets were eliminated, the team sacked head coach Jeff Van Gundy. Three days later signed the former coach of the Sacramento Kings , Rick Adelman , Houston. Observers speculated that with the new coach, the style of play would be geared more towards the offensive than was the case with his predecessor.

For the first time in his career, Yao qualified for the second round of the play-offs in 2009

On November 9, 2007, Yao played for the first time against his compatriot Yi Jianlian of the Milwaukee Bucks . The Rockets won the encounter with 104: 88. In China, the game was broadcast on numerous television channels and reached more than 200 million viewers there alone. This made it one of the most watched games in NBA history. As in previous years, Yao was again selected for the All-Star Game on the grid. Before the All-Star weekend, the Rockets won eight games in a row, which they expanded to a winning streak of 12 games after the All-Star break. On February 26, 2008, however, Yao suffered a stress fracture in his left foot during training and was out for the rest of the season. Contrary to initial fears, however, he was able to take part in the Olympic Games in Beijing . Despite the loss of Yao, the Rockets were able to expand their winning streak to 22 games, the second longest in NBA history. Yao underwent successful surgery on March 3rd that placed screws in his foot to support the bone. The recovery time was estimated to be four months. In the 55 completed games in the 2007/08 season , Yao reached an average of 22.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks.

In the following season , Yao played 77 games for the first time since 2004/05 a full season. He scored an average of 19.7 points with a throw rate of 54.8% and 9.9 rebounds. He improved his free throw rate to 86.6%. Even without McGrady, who was out from February for the rest of the season due to an injury, the Rockets finished the season with 53 wins in 5th place in the Western Conference. In the first round of the play-offs they prevailed against the Portland Trail Blazers and thus reached the second round for the first time since 1997 and thus for the first time in Yao's career.

In the first game of the second round against the Los Angeles Lakers, Yao led his team to victory in Los Angeles with 28 points, including 8 points in the last four minutes of the game. The next two games were lost, and Yao sprained his ankle in game 3. Upon examination, she was diagnosed with a stress fracture , so Yao was off season. Without Yao, the Rockets finally lost the series 3-4. Further investigation revealed that the injury jeopardized the continuation of his career. Several weeks later, the decision was made to undergo an operation on Yao's left foot to permanently reduce the stress on the scaphoid bone . Yao had to pause the entire 2009/10 season and only returned to the team in preparation for the 2010/11 season. However, after just a few games he suffered a stress fracture in his left ankle. In July 2011, Ming announced his resignation due to ongoing injury problems.

International career

At the 2006 World Basketball Championship , Yao was the highest point player

Olympic Games 2000 and 2004

For the Chinese national team, Yao made his debut at the age of nineteen at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney . He and his teammates Wang Zhizhi (2.14 m) and Mengke Bateer (2.08 m) were nicknamed "The Great Walking Wall" ("the walking / moving Great Wall of China "). At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens , he was given the honor of carrying the Chinese flag into the stadium at the opening ceremony. With this, a long-cherished dream came true for Yao. In the event that China's team did not qualify for the quarter-finals, he vowed not to shave his beard for half a year. In the win against New Zealand Yao scored 39 points, but China lost the following three games against Spain , Argentina and Italy with 58:83, 57:82 and 52:89 respectively. In the last group game a 67:66 was achieved against the reigning world champions Serbia , so that the team made it to the quarter-finals. Yao made a significant contribution with 27 points and 13 rebounds, and 28 seconds before the end he converted the two free throws, which ultimately turned out to be the decisive points for victory. The team lost to Lithuania in the quarterfinals . With an average of 20.7 points and 9.3 rebounds as well as a throw rate from the field of 55.9%, he was elected to the All-Olympics team .

Asian Championships

At the Asian Basketball Championship , Yao led the Chinese national team to three titles in a row, 2001, 2003 and 2005. In all three competitions, he was also awarded as MVP (Most Valuable Player) .

Basketball World Cup 2006

Yao's injury at the end of the 2005/06 season, which meant that he was sidelined for half a year, endangered his participation in the 2006 World Basketball Championship . Yao got fit in time and led his team in the last group game with 36 points and 10 rebounds to a victory against Slovenia and thus to the round of 16. In the first knockout round, China lost to later finalists Greece . Yao's average of 25.3 points was the highest of all players in the tournament, his average for rebounds (9.0) the fourth highest.

Beijing Olympic Games 2008

After the operation on his foot, Yao said it would be "the biggest loss of his career so far" if he could not compete in the Beijing Olympics . This time, too, the injury healed in time, so that he was able to play again in a preparatory game against Serbia on July 17, 2008. On August 6th, as a participant in the Olympic torch relay , Yao carried the torch to Tian'anmen Square ( Gate of Heavenly Peace ). As four years earlier in Athens, he led the Chinese team into the stadium as the flag bearer at the opening ceremony in Beijing . In the opening game, China clearly lost 70: 101 against the USA , and then only after extra time against Spain. In the following games, Yao scored 30 points in the win against Angola and 25 points in the game against Germany , which was won by three points. China was thus qualified for the quarter-finals. There the Chinese lost to Lithuania by 26 points. Yao achieved an average of 19 points (second place in the tournament statistics), 8.2 rebounds (third place) and 1.5 blocks (third place).

Away from the basketball court

Personal

Yao during an interview

Yao is married to the Chinese basketball player Ye Li, whom he first met when he was 17. Their relationship became known to the public in 2004 when they appeared together at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. They married on August 6, 2007 in camera with close friends and family. A daughter was born on May 21, 2010 in Houston.

In 2004, Yao along with the sports writers wrote Ric Bucher of ESPN 's autobiography Yao: A Life in Two Worlds . In the same year, the documentary The Year of the Yao was shot about its debut year . The story is told from the perspective of his friend and translator Colin Pine, who accompanied him for a total of three years. Former Newsweek news magazine writer Brook Larmer published Operation Yao Ming in 2005 . In it, he claims that Yao's parents were deliberately brought together to make a great athlete. In addition, Yao received special treatment in his childhood and youth in order to shape him into an excellent basketball player.

Public life

Next to Liu Xiang , Yao is the most famous Chinese athlete. He has led the Forbes ranking of Chinese celebrities, which is based on income and popularity, for six years without a break. His 2008 income was estimated at $ 51 million. Much of this income comes from sponsorship contracts with large corporations whose products he advertises. In his rookie season he had a contract with Nike ; when Nike did not want to extend the contract, he switched to Reebok . He also had a contract with Pepsi and successfully sued Coca-Cola in 2003 when the company used a picture of him on its bottles to promote the national team. For the Olympic Games in Beijing, however, he signed a sponsorship agreement with Coca-Cola. His other advertising contracts include contracts with Visa , Apple , Garmin and McDonald’s (his favorite restaurant as a child).

Yao has participated in numerous charity events throughout his career, including the NBA's Basketball Without Borders program . During the hiatus in 2003, he ran a fundraising marathon that raised $ 300,000 in the fight against SARS . In September 2007, Yao held an auction for the benefit of underprivileged children in China, which raised $ 965,000, and organized a charity game with Steve Nash , including Carmelo Anthony , Baron Davis and movie star Jackie Chan , the proceeds of which also benefited the children. After the earthquake in Sichuan in 2008, Yao donated $ 2 million for rescue and reconstruction work and set up a foundation that particularly supports the reconstruction of destroyed schools.

On July 16, 2009, Yao acquired his troubled former club, the Shanghai Sharks , which play in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He saved it from financial bankruptcy by buying it.

Internet memes

The "bitch-please" face, a well-known meme , is based on a photo of Yao Ming.

statistics

Legend
GP	Matches played (Games Played)	GS	Games from the beginning (Games started)	MPG	Graduated minutes per game (Minutes per game)
FG%	Throw rate from the field (field goal percentage)	3P%	Throwing quota three-point throws (3-point field-goal percentage)	FT%	Free throw rate (free-throw percentage)
RPG	Rebounds per game (rebounds per game)	APG	Assists per game (assists per game)	SPG	Steals per game (steals per game)
BPG	Blocks per game (blocks per game)	PPG	Points per game (points per game)	FAT	Career record

CBA career

season	team	GP	RPG	APG	FG%	FT%	PPG
1997/98	Shanghai	21st	8.3	1.3	0.615	0.485	10.0
1998/99	Shanghai	12	12.9	1.7	0.585	0.699	20.9
1999/00	Shanghai	33	14.5	1.7	0.585	0.683	21.2
2000/01	Shanghai	22nd	19.4	2.2	0.679	0.799	27.1
2001/02	Shanghai	24	19.0	1.9	0.721	0.759	32.4
total		122	15.4	1.8	0.651	0.723	23.4

NBA career

Regular season

season	team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2002/03	Houston	82	72	29.0	0.498	0.500	0.811	8.2	1.7	0.4	1.8	13.5
2003/04	Houston	82	82	32.8	0.522	0.000	0.809	9.0	1.5	0.3	1.9	17.5
2004/05	Houston	80	80	30.6	0.552	0.000	0.783	8.4	0.8	0.4	2.0	18.3
2005/06	Houston	57	57	34.2	0.519	0.000	0.853	10.2	1.5	0.5	1.6	22.3
2006/07	Houston	48	48	33.8	0.516	0.000	0.862	9.4	2.0	0.3	2.0	25.0
2007/08	Houston	55	55	37.2	0.507	0.000	0.850	10.8	2.3	0.4	2.0	22.0
2008/09	Houston	77	77	33.6	0.548	1,000	0.866	9.9	1.8	0.4	2.0	19.7
2009/10	Houston	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2010/11	Houston	5	5	18.2	0.4865	0.000	0.938	5.4	0.8	0.0	1.6	10.2
total		486	476	32.5	0.524	0.200	0.833	9.2	1.6	0.4	1.8	19.0
All-Star Game		6th	6th	17.2	0.500	0.000	0.667	4.0	1.3	0.2	0.3	7.0

Play-offs

season	team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2003/04	Houston	5	5	37.0	0.456	0.000	0.765	7.4	1.8	0.4	1.4	15.0
2004/05	Houston	7th	7th	31.4	0.655	0.000	0.727	7.7	0.7	0.3	2.7	21.4
2006/07	Houston	7th	7th	37.1	0.440	0.000	0.880	10.3	0.9	0.1	0.7	25.1
2008/09	Houston	9	9	35.9	0.545	0.000	0.902	10.9	1.0	0.4	1.1	17.1
total		28	28	35.3	0.519	0.000	0.833	9.3	1.0	0.3	1.5	19.8

Web links

Commons : Yao Ming  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Yao Ming - player statistics on NBA .com (English)
• Yao Ming - player profile on basketball-reference.com
• The website Yao Ming Foundation (English)
• Yao Ming in the Sports-Reference database (English; archived from the original )

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Yao Ming. In: nba.com. Retrieved May 21, 2020 (English). 
2. ^ The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame :: Yao Ming. Retrieved April 22, 2020 (English). 
3. ↑ ^{a b c d e} Brook Larmer: Operation Yao Ming: The Chinese Sports Empire, American Big Business, and the Making of an NBA Superstar . Gotham Books , November 3, 2005, ISBN 1-59240-078-7 . Archived from the original on July 29, 2011.
4. ↑ Ric Bucher, Ming, Yao: Yao: A Life in Two Worlds , p. 31.
5. ↑ Ric Bucher, Ming, Yao: Yao: A Life in Two Worlds , p. 50.
6. Jump up ↑ Player Profile Yao Ming , NBA.com. Retrieved February 9, 2009. 
7. ↑ Hannah Beech: China's Incredible Hulk of the hard court becomes an NBA sensation , Time Magazine. Archived from the original on July 5, 2011. Retrieved on August 23, 2008. 
8. ^ Ric Bucher, Ming, Yao: Yao: A Life in Two Worlds , p. 68.
9. ^ John Huizinga Chicago GSB Faculty . ChicagoGSB.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2008. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
10. ↑ Introducing Team Yao . BusinessWeek. October 25, 2004. Retrieved August 23, 2008.
11. ↑ Danny Ainge: Danny Ainge's Mock Draft . NBA. 2002. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
12. ↑ Andy Katz: Deals will likely shake up draft . ESPN. June 25, 2002. Retrieved March 13, 2008.
13. ^ Ian Thomsen: Let the picking begin . Sports Illustrated . June 19, 2002. Archived from the original on April 15, 2011. Retrieved on March 13, 2008.
14. ↑ Andy Katz: 2002 NBA Draft: ESPN's Takes . ESPN.com. June 25, 2002. Archived from the original on March 8, 2014. Retrieved on August 23, 2008.
15. ↑ 'Unpatriotic' star dumped from China team , CNN. August 27, 2002. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
16. ↑ Ric Bucher, Ming, Yao: Yao: A Life in Two Worlds , p. 120.
17. ↑ Ric Bucher, Ming, Yao: Yao: A Life in Two Worlds , p. 102.
18. ↑ Ric Bucher, Ming, Yao: Yao: A Life in Two Worlds , p. 124.
19. ↑ Yao Ming Makes NBA History in 2002 Draft . china.org.cn. June 27, 2002. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
20. ↑ Joe Lago: Rockets make Yao Ming first overall pick , ESPN.com. October 30, 2002. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
21. ^ Pacers Bring Rockets Down to Earth , NBA.com. October 30, 2002. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
22. ^ Nuggets 74; Rockets 83 . NBA.com. November 1, 2002. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
23. ^ Bob Wolfley, Yao Ming could be another LaRue Martin , ESPN.com. June 25, 2002. Archived from the original on November 6, 2007. Retrieved July 27, 2008. 
24. ↑ Bill Simmons: Dear Diary ... who are these , ESPN.com. June 27, 2002. Retrieved July 27, 2008. 
25. ↑ Dick Vitale: Yao Ming could be another LaRue Martin , ESPN.com. May 22, 2002. Retrieved July 27, 2008. 
26. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g} Yao Ming Career Stats Page . NBA.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
27. ↑ Stoudemire Wins 2002–2003 'got milk?' NBA Rookie of the Year Award . NBA.com. April 24, 2003. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
28. ↑ ^{a b} NBA: Yao Ming Bio Page . NBA.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2007. Retrieved on August 23, 2008.
29. ↑ Ric Bucher, Ming, Yao: Yao: A Life in Two Worlds , p. 198.
30. ↑ Laureus Winners Archive . laureus.com. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
31. ^ Team says resignation just one of several options , ESPN.com. February 2, 2005. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
32. ↑ Yao takes center stage in Houston's new stadium , Taipei Times. November 1, 2003. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
33. ^ Rockets Prevail in Triple-Overtime Thriller , NBA.com. February 22, 2004. Retrieved April 17, 2008. 
34. ↑ 2004 NBA All-Star Game . NBA.com. February 15, 2004. Retrieved April 16, 2008.
35. ↑ 2004 NBA Playoffs series . ESPN.com. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
36. ^ ^{A b} Francis' meeting with Magic triggers trade , ESPN.com. June 30, 2004. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
37. ↑ David Dupree: Rockets muscle up; Magic will build around Francis , USA Today. June 30, 2004. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
38. ^ Yao Ming gets record votes for All-Star game , chinadaily.com.cn. February 4, 2005. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
39. ↑ NBA Standings - 2004-2005 . ESPN.com. Retrieved March 14, 2008.
40. ↑ Jonathan Feigen: Dream duo , Houston Chronicle . April 27, 2005. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved on March 15, 2008. 
41. ↑ Mavericks Cruise Past Rockets in Game 7 . NBA.com. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
42. ↑ Yao Ming has surgery on toe, out several weeks . December 20, 2005. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
43. ↑ Yao Ming headlines NBA all-stars , cbcsports.ca. February 3, 2006. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
44. ^ Yao Ming 2005-06 Game Log . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
45. ^ McGrady taken to hospital with severe back spasms . January 9, 2006. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
46. ↑ Jonathan Feigen: As the countdown to training camp begins, it's no secret the team needs Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming on the floor as much as possible to make the playoffs , Houston Chronicle. September 23, 2006. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
47. ↑ NBA Standings - 2005-2006 . ESPN.com. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
48. ↑ Yao Ming has operation on broken foot , chinadaily.com.cn. April 15, 2006. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
49. ^ Yao to miss six weeks of the NBA season , Xinhau. December 24, 2006. Archived from the original on January 12, 2009. Retrieved on August 23, 2008. 
50. ↑ Tim Legler: In value, Nash looking peerless , ESPN.com. January 17, 2007. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
51. ↑ Rui Zhao: Yao on road to recovery, but will miss NBA All-Star Game , chinadaily.com.cn. January 24, 2007. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
52. ^ Yao returns from broken leg against Cavs , ESPN.com. March 5, 2007. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
53. ^ Western Conference Round 1: Jazz vs. Rockets . ESPN.com. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
54. ^ Yao: Blame me for 1st-round flameout , ESPN.com. May 3, 2007. Retrieved March 13, 2008. 
55. ↑ Michael Murphy: Yao: Blame me for 1st-round flameout , Houston Chronicle. May 6, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
56. ↑ Jonathan Feigen: Changing of the Guard , Houston Chronicle. May 19, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
57. ↑ Jonathan Feigen: Deal sealed: Rockets reach agreement, will introduce new coach on Wednesday , Houston Chronicle. May 22, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
58. ↑ Jerome Solomon: Rockets will actually score under Adelman , Houston Chronicle. May 23, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
59. ^ David Dupree: Rockets may benefit from new coach, running mates , USA Today. May 23, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
60. ↑ Yao Ming's Rockets beat Yi Jianlian's Bucks 104-88 , ESPN.com. November 9, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
61. ↑ Boston's Kevin Garnett Top Vote-Getter Among All-Stars , NBA.com. January 25, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
62. ^ Yao out for season with stress fracture , Houston Chronicle. February 26, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
63. ↑ Jonathan Feigen: Rockets' streak ends at 22 with loss to Celtics , Houston Chronicle. March 19, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2008. 
64. ↑ Yao undergoes successful foot surgery , NBA . March 3, 2008. Retrieved April 9, 2008. 
65. ^ Rockets learn of surgery through media , ESPN. February 18, 2009. Retrieved May 10, 2009. 
66. ↑ NBA Standings - 2008-2009 , ESPN. Retrieved May 10, 2009. 
67. ↑ Rockets reach second round for first time since '97 , ESPN. April 30, 2009. Retrieved May 10, 2009. 
68. ↑ Yao gets banged up, bounces back to lift Rockets , ESPN. May 4, 2009. Retrieved May 10, 2009. 
69. ↑ Jonathan Feigen: Yao has ankle sprain, Game 4 status uncertain . In: Houston Chronicle , May 9, 2009. Retrieved May 10, 2009. 
70. ↑ Yao Ming Out for Remainder of Playoffs , NBA . May 9, 2009. 
71. ^ Yao's Foot Injury Threatens His Career . In: The New York Times , June 29, 2009. 
72. ↑ Yao Ming is training with the Rockets again , kicker.de. August 25, 2010. Retrieved September 2, 2010. 
73. ^ Yao retires from basketball , Houston Chronicle. July 8, 2011. 
74. ↑ Yao Ming Realizes his Olympic dream , chinadaily.com.cn. August 13, 2004. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
75. ↑ Yao bets his beard on China's top eight finish , the People's Daily. August 12, 2004. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
76. ^ Yao lifts China into Olympic quarter-finals , chinadaily.com.cn. August 24, 2004. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
77. ^ NBA.com: Statistics: NBA Players on International Teams . NBA.com. Retrieved August 23, 2008.
78. ↑ China sweats over Yao Ming's foot , redorbit.com. April 13, 2006. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
79. ↑ ^{a b} Game Report, China vs Slovenia 78-77, GROUP D , FIBA.com. August 24, 2006. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
80. ↑ Game report, Greece v China 95-64, EIGHT-FINALS . FIBA.com. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
81. ↑ Chris Sheridan: Yao to play in Olympics? For now, the answer is Yes , ESPN.com. February 26, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
82. ↑ Christopher Bodeen: Yao Ming returns to action for China , Associated Press. July 17, 2008. Retrieved August 7, 2008. 
83. ↑ Fran Blinebury: Yao carries Olympic torch . In: Houston Chronicle , August 6, 2008. Retrieved February 9, 2009. 
84. ↑ Nick Mulvenney: Yao to carry China flag at opening ceremony , Reuters. August 7, 2008. Retrieved August 7, 2008. 
85. ↑ Americans win over China in thrilling Olympic encounter , FIBA.com. August 10, 2008. Archived from the original on October 20, 2008. Retrieved on February 3, 2009. 
86. ↑ Spain shock China with fourth-quarter comeback and win in OT , FIBA.com. August 12, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2009. 
87. ^ The time is Yao for China as hosts overcome Angola , FIBA.com. August 14, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2009. 
88. ^ Yao leads China in survival show against Nowitzki's Germany , FIBA.com. August 16, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2009. 
89. ↑ Lithuania end China's Olympic dream with blowout win , FIBA.com. August 20, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2009. 
90. ↑ Statistics: Players - Leaders: Rebounds . FIBA.com. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
91. ↑ Statistics: Players - Leaders: Blocks . FIBA.com. Retrieved February 7, 2009.
92. ↑ ^{a b} Jing Zhou: Groomsman Fondly Recounts Yao Ming's Marriage , www.china.org.cn. August 30, 2007. Retrieved March 16, 2008. 
93. ↑ TC Cheng Zen: Yao's wedding unites East and North cultures , Houston Chronicle. August 7, 2007. Retrieved March 15, 2008. 
94. ↑ Yao's wife gives birth to seven-pound, nine-ounce baby . In: Houston Chronicle . May 21, 2010. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
95. ^ Bruce Westbrook: Yao's Life in Two Worlds , NBA.com. Retrieved April 17, 2008. 
96. ↑ Bruce Westbrook: The Year of the Yao , Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 16, 2008. 
97. ↑ Junwei Zhu: 小 巨人 告别 “拐杖” 潘克伦 ： 我 的 电话 为 姚明 而 开 “Yao Ming says goodbye to Colin Pine,” tom.com. June 2, 2005. Retrieved April 18, 2008.  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) 
98. ↑ Dick Patrick: Yao Ming's Injury Could Send Reebok Reeling , USA Today. May 24, 2006. Retrieved March 20, 2008. 
99. ↑ Yao tops forbes list again, but Ziyi catches up . In: China Daily , March 18, 2009. Retrieved March 28, 2009. 
100. ^ ^{A b} Eddie Pells: Injury doesn't diminish Yao's ability to sell products , Houston Chronicle. March 11, 2008. Retrieved March 16, 2008. 
101. ↑ Darren Rovell: Yao Ming's Injury Could Send Reebok Reeling , cnbc.com. September 14, 2007. Retrieved March 16, 2008. 
102. ↑ Yao Ming, Coke's China subsidiary settle lawsuit , ESPN.com. October 17, 2003. Retrieved March 16, 2008. 
103. ^ Rob Walker: A Brand Called Yao , Slate.com. February 10, 2003. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
104. ^ Yao Ming stars in Apple commercial , basketball365.co.uk. February 17, 2003. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
105. ↑ Garmin Nets Partnership with NBA Superstar Yao Ming , Garmin.com. April 12, 2005. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
106. ↑ Ken Hoffman: Yao stands tall for McDonald’s , Houston Chronicle. March 11, 2008. Retrieved March 16, 2008. 
107. ↑ Basketball without Borders — Asia . NBA.com. Retrieved March 16, 2008.
108. ↑ Yao implores everyone to join in battling SARS , ESPN.com. May 8, 2003. Retrieved April 17, 2008. 
109. ↑ Yao scores 21 points in charity game , Xinhau. September 14, 2007. Archived from the original on June 1, 2008. Retrieved March 16, 2008. 
110. ^ Ana Ley: Yao Ming to give $ 2 million to Chinese earthquake victims , Associated Press. June 10, 2008. Retrieved June 11, 2008.  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) 
111. ↑ Yao Ming buys cash-strapped Shanghai team . In: The Washington Post , July 16, 2009. Retrieved July 17, 2009.  ( Page no longer available , search web archives ) 
112. ↑ Yao buys Shanghai Sharks
113. ↑ knowyourmeme.com - Yao Ming Face / Bitch Please

Note: This article places the family name before the person's first name. This is the usual order in Chinese. Yao is the family name here, Ming is the first name.

This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on March 6, 2009 .