Yao Ming Goes First
June 2002. From the Shanghai Sharks to the top of the NBA draft
Yao Ming grew up in Shanghai and stood 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in). In 2002 he led the Shanghai Sharks to the Chinese Basketball Association title and was named league MVP. With China he had already won the Asian championship in 1999 and 2001.
On 26 June 2002, the Houston Rockets picked him first in the NBA draft. He was the first international player taken first overall without having played college basketball in the United States. He was an All-Star as a rookie and made eight All-Star teams in all.
Foot and ankle injuries ended his career in 2011. Over his NBA career he averaged 19.0 points and 9.2 rebounds. He carried China's flag at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, and in 2016 he became the first Chinese national inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
What changed
Yao was a giant with a shooter's touch, making 83.3% of his free throws, a rare mark for a 7-footer. He proved that the number one pick could come straight from a professional league outside the United States.