Where is Chinese basketball’s next Yao Ming? The NBA legend gives his verdict
- Over a decade after Yao ended his playing career at the Houston Rockets, there has yet to be another Chinese player of his global stature
- ‘Sometimes I feel that people should not expect another Yao Ming, because I have many unique conditions,’ he says
Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming has addressed the question of when, if ever, his country can expect to unearth another star of his magnitude.
Basketball is enormously popular in China but the 7ft 6in (2.29-metre) Yao, who retired from playing in 2011, still stands head and shoulders above his countrymen after a stellar career that included nine years in the NBA with the Houston Rockets.
Asked where the next Yao Ming was coming from during his appearance at the weekend’s Greater Bay Area International Sports Business Summit in Macau, the 43-year-old cautioned against expecting too much.
“Sometimes I feel that people should not expect another Yao Ming, because I have many unique conditions,” he told Chinese media.
“Not all children possess such conditions. I grew up in a sports family, my parents were professional athletes, I was discovered at a young age, started training early and also received some preferential resources. To some extent, this is not replicable.
“Personally, instead of expecting an irreplicable model, I prefer to find one that can be replicated. Can we expect the next Jeremy Lin?
“I know Jeremy Lin grew up in the United States, so can we expect to see more players like Zhao Jiwei, Guo Ailun, Liu Wei, Guo Shiqiang, and Hu Weidong appearing soon? Perhaps they have more connections with ordinary families.
“If there are more players like this, our basketball level, league quality and basketball market will be even better.”
Yao suggested off-court matters were more controllable.
“As for the Chinese Basketball Association, can we have enough output to be recognised by society?” he asked.
“The 2025 CBA league will celebrate its 30th anniversary. It now receives support from so many companies, which is actually the contribution of several generations to society, gaining recognition and thus receiving returns.
“So can we provide more social products to gain more recognition from partners and help us together in various aspects, including events and training? That’s what I hope to see.”
