Yao Ming (born September 12, 1980, in Shanghai, China) is a retired Chinese professional basketball player and former NBA star. Standing at 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m), he played as a center for the Shanghai Sharks and then the Houston Rockets after being drafted 1st overall in 2002. In his NBA career, he played 486 games,
Scoring 9,247 points (19.0 ppg), 4,494 rebounds (9.2 rpg), and 920 blocks (1.9 bpg). Yao was an 8-time NBA All-Star, named All-NBA five times, won multiple MVP awards in Asia, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.
Yao Ming: National Hero on Court and Country
Yao Ming was a cornerstone of the Chinese national basketball team, representing China in multiple Olympics (2000, 2004, 2008) and World Championships (2002, 2006). He helped China win four FIBA Asia Cup gold medals and earned three FIBA Asia Cup MVPs.
Yao also played in youth international tournaments and retired from the national team after the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At the club level, he played for two teams: the Shanghai Sharks and the Houston Rockets.
Yao Ming: Season-by-Season NBA Stats Breakdown
Yao Ming played in the NBA from 2002–03 to 2010–11 with the Houston Rockets, featuring in 486 regular-season games. He began with 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds in 2002–03, steadily improving each season. His peak came in 2006–07, averaging 25.0 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks. Despite injuries limiting later years, Yao finished his career with strong averages of 19.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
| Season | Games | PPG | RPG | BPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–03 | 82 | 13.5 | 8.2 | 1.8 |
| 2003–04 | 82 | 17.5 | 9.0 | 1.9 |
| 2004–05 | 80 | 18.3 | 8.4 | 2.0 |
| 2005–06 | 57 | 22.3 | 10.2 | 1.6 |
| 2006–07 | 48 | 25.0 | 9.4 | 2.0 |
| 2007–08 | 55 | 22.0 | 10.8 | 2.0 |
| 2008–09 | 77 | 19.7 | 9.9 | 1.9 |
| 2010–11 | 5 | 10.2 | 5.4 | 1.6 |
Yao Ming: Legendary Honors & Career Milestones
Yao Ming’s career was decorated with achievements in both the NBA and international basketball. He was an 8-time NBA All-Star, selected to five All-NBA teams, and earned NBA All-Rookie First Team honors. Internationally, he dominated the FIBA Asia Cup with three MVPs and multiple gold medals. He also won titles in the Chinese Basketball Association, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2016), and the FIBA Hall of Fame (2023).
| Award / Achievement | Details |
|---|---|
| NBA All-Star | 8×: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 |
| All-NBA Team | 5× (Second Team: 2007, 2009; Third Team: 2004, 2006, 2008) |
| NBA All-Rookie First Team | 2003 |
| FIBA Asia Cup Gold Medals | 2001, 2003, 2005 |
| FIBA Asia Cup MVP | 2001, 2003, 2005 |
| FIBA Diamond Ball Top Scorer | 2004 |
| FIBA World Cup All-Tournament Team | 2002 |
| CBA Champion (Shanghai Sharks) | 2001–02 |
| CBA Rebounding Leader | 2001–02 |
| Sporting News Rookie of the Year | 2003 |
| Laureus Newcomer of the Year | 2003 |
| Proletarian Award | 2005 |
| Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame | Class of 2016 |
| FIBA Hall of Fame | Class of 2023 |
Yao Ming: Personal Life and Family
Yao Ming married Ye Li, a former Chinese women’s basketball player whom he met as a teenager, in August 2007, celebrating privately with family and close friends. The couple has one daughter, born in May 2010 in Houston, Texas. Off the court, Yao has explored life beyond basketball, co-authoring an autobiography, inspiring a documentary, and later serving in leadership roles in Chinese basketball while balancing family life and business ventures.
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