Yao Ming

From Hoopedia

Yao Ming

Position : Center
Height : 7 ft 6
Nicknames : The Great Wall, The Ming Dynasty, The Little Giant
Weight : 310 lbs.
Team(s) : Houston Rockets
Born : September 12, 1980 in Shanghai, China
Drafted : 1st overall in 2002 by the Houston Rockets
NBA Career : 2002 -

This is a Chinese name; the family name is Yao (姚).

Yao Ming (Chinese: 姚明; Pinyin: Yáo Míng) (born September 12 1980, in Shanghai, China) is a Chinese professional basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is currently the tallest player in the NBA, standing at 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m).

He started playing for the Shanghai Sharks while he was still a teenager, and played on their senior team for five years in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), winning a championship in his final year. He entered the 2002 NBA draft, and after negotiating with the CBA and the Sharks to secure his release, he was selected by Houston as the first overall pick of the draft.

He has been selected to start for the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star Game in all six of his seasons, and has been named to the All-NBA Team team three times. However, the Rockets have not advanced past the first round of the playoffs since he has joined the team, and he has missed significant time due to injury in each of the past three seasons.

Named All-NBA Third Team after averaging 22.3 points (career high), 10.2 rebounds (career high) and 1.65 blocks in 57 starts. Was twice named Western Conference Player of the Week (games played Feb. 21-26 and Mar. - Apr. 2). Selected as a divisional winner for the 2005-06 NBA Sportsmanship Award. Was one of only four players in the NBA to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, becoming the first Rockets player to accomplish that feat since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1995-96 (26.9 points, 10.9 rebounds) … led the Rockets with a career-best 34 double-doubles and 39 20-point games, including a career-high 10 30-point performances. Scored 30 or more points in five of six games (3/5/06-3/15/06) … stood as the top scoring center in the NBA, finishing ahead of Miami’s Shaquille O'Neal (20.0). Led the Rockets in rebounds per game, blocked shots and free throw percentage (.853, 337-395 FT). Among NBA leaders, ranked T-11 th in double-doubles, 13 th in field goal percentage (.519, 467-900 FG) and 14 th in free throw percentage. Topped the Rockets in scoring in a team-high 31 games and rebounding a team-best 39 contests. Had a career-high-tying seven blocked shots vs. New Orleans/Oklahoma City on November 11, 2005. Underwent successful surgery on Dec. 19 to clean out an infection in his left big toe for a condition known as osteomyelitis (inflammation of the bone caused by bacteria). Returned to action at Memphis on January 1 2006 after missing 21 games (12/18/05-1/29/06). Recorded the third “20-20” game of his career with 22 points and a season-high 21 rebounds vs. Golden State on February 24, 2006.

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International Play

Has played for the Chinese National Team during each of the four summers since being drafted into the NBA.
Averaged 23.4 points and 15.4 rebounds in five seasons with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association prior to playing in the NBA.
2006: Led all scorers in the 2006 FIBA World Championship, averaging 25.3 points per game and 9.0 rebounds for China.
2005: Collected 24 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks to power China to its fourth consecutive Asian Championship.
2004: Averaged 20.7 points and a tournament-leading 9.3 rebounds in the 2004 Summer Olympics.
2002-2003: Averaged 22.6 points and 13.1 rebounds in the Asian Championship.
2001-2002: Averaged 21.0 points and 9.3 rebounds in the 2002 FIBA World Championship Games.
In his final CBA season, averaged 32.6 points, 19.0 rebounds and 4.8 blocked shots and led the Sharks to their first CBA Championship.
2000-2001: Averaged 10.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000-2001: averaged 27.1 points, 19.4 rebounds and 5.5 blocked shots with Shanghai to earn CBA MVP honors.
1999-2000: Averaged 21.3 points with Shanghai. 1998-1999: Averaged 20.9 points with the Sharks. 1997-1998: Averaged 10.2 points as a CBA rookie.

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Personal

Full name is Yao Ming, with Yao his surname and Ming his given name
His father, Yao Zhi Yuan, stands 6-foot-7 and his mother, Fang Feng Di, stands 6-foot-3
His mother played for China’s National Team
Yao received his first formal basketball training at age nine
He has played on the Chinese National Team since age 18
Nicknamed “The Little Giant”
Received the 2003 Laureus World Newcomer of the Year award
Hosted a multi-national telethon to raise funds to battle SARS in 2003
Serves as a spokesperson for Apple Computer, Gatorade, McDonald’s, Reebok and Visa
Co-authored Yao: A Life in Two Worlds with Ric Bucher
Starred in the movie The Year of the Yao, which chronicled his rookie year in the NBA
Participates in the NBA's Basketball without Borders program
Pledged to give up eating shark’s fin soup, a Chinese delicacy, when he joined a campaign to promote wildlife protection in 2006
Purchases tickets to Rockets home games for disadvantaged youth