Does Yao Ming deserve to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame?
By Jason Parker
Does Yao Ming really deserve to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame?
Monday, the dreams of several basketball legends came true when the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced its class for the 2016 year. Along with former NBA stars like Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson was another veteran of the league who came in as a big presence and left with plenty of question marks about whether of not he should be inducted with other stars from the same era.
In 2002, Yao Ming went from the basketball courts in his native China (where he had already played five seasons of basketball) to being a first overall pick in the NBA Draft with his selection by the Houston Rockets. Over the next nine seasons, Ming would not only be a force in the middle (when healthy) for Houston, but helped to expand the NBA’s global appeal in both China and all of Asia.
At the start of his career, Ming was blocking shots like it was going out of style (including getting the better of O’Neal during their head to head meetings). For his career, Ming averaged 19 points, nine rebound and two blocks per game. It’s hard to argue that, for a period in the middle part of the last decade, Ming was the most valuable player in the league.
Like many big man who have played the game, Ming was injury plagued for much of his time in the NBA. Starting with the 2005-06 season, Ming would miss time for injuries that included his feet, toes, knees and other parts of his lower body that come with a man that size, which included missing the entire 2009-10 season.
Despite his injuries, Ming was constantly voted by the fans as an All-Star, being named to the team eight of his nine seasons in the league. Five times, he was voted to the All-NBA second or third team, showing the media and those around the league knew he could play.
Once his career came to an end, Ming has been active in community service and charity work in his home country. Ming’s global appeal is something that not only benefited the NBA, but the sport of basketball as a whole.
Ming didn’t have the years in the league like Shaq or the numbers like A.I., but he was just as vital to the sport of basketball in the last decade that he has earned a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame with his former on-court rivals.
For more NBA news, check out our NBA hub page.