The Ming Dynasty

The impact of an NBA player is usually measured in statistics; the amount of points he has scored, the number of championships he has won, etc. This statistical analysis is the common way to compare one player to the others and measure the success and validity of a career. However, like in most aspects of life, there are anomalies; situations where statistics alone cannot be used to quantify the validity of a career; situations where a player’s numbers simply do not do justice to the overall impact of their career. Such players are able to transcend the game, and their value boils down to more than just a bunch of numbers representing career achievements. Such players shape and change the game in one way or another, leaving their stamp on it forever. Michael Jordan was one such player. Sure his numbers were outstanding and virtually unparalleled, but it can be argued that Mike’s biggest impact was off the court, as he exploded the overall popularity of basketball and launched the marketability of the game’s superstars. Another such player is the incomparable Yao Ming. Sure his career is far from over (hopefully, barring more serious injuries), but it can be argued that nothing Yao will do on the court can match his impact on the game away from the hardwood.

Yao came into the League surrounded by enormous amounts of hype and excitement, with rumors of his ability circulating from China to California. His pre-League hype was matched only by his number one pick successor, LeBron James. The 2002 NBA draft was considered the Yao lottery, as he would surely change the fortunes of any franchise lucky enough to have the ping pong balls bounce in their favor. He was the talented big man with touch who could turn around a franchise, and serve as a rock of consistency for upwards of a decade. The Houston Rockets were the lucky lottery winners, and while Yao has been far from a slouch on the court, posting respectable career number of 19 and 9 boards, injuries have so far barred him from reaching his perceived potential. But while he has not yet been able to help elevate the Rockets to that elite level, he certainly has made an enormous impact on the League in other ways.

Although it is impossible to credit the League’s recent worldwide popularity explosion on one individual, it is safe to say that Yao has contributed as much as anyone not named Michael. Yao has reached hero status in China, as he has been become their brightest basketball ambassador, winning over fans both in the U.S. and China with his play and pleasant personality, all while providing a link between the two countries. No the NBA isn’t a new phenomena in China, but Yao’s breakthrough finally allowed the Chinese to have an NBA superstar to embrace as their own. In a way, Yao represents the population of China, as he is their most popular and best internationally-known athlete. This fact is illustrated by the millions in China who tune in to watch Yao battle the League’s best on a nightly basis, working to unify the people behind a common protagonist. He was their product, and his success is their validation. The rising worldwide popularity of the NBA and its biggest (literally) star culminated last summer in what is billed as the most watched basketball game of all time, when the U.S. Men’s Basketball team faced China and Yao. It is estimated that this game was viewed by over a billion people; a testament to both the increasing popularity of the NBA, and the unparalleled loyalty and support showered onto Yao by his fellow citizens of China.

While Yao’s future on the court remains uncertain due to perpetual nagging injury issues, both his contributions to the game and his legacy continue to grow as quickly as the NBA’s popularity in China, and this is certainly no coincidence. In twenty years, when Yao’s playing days have come and gone, and a new generation of NBA fans in China anxiously await the start of the new season, it will be easy to see Yao’s contribution to the game; a contribution that is much more than a list of statistical totals could ever be.