NBA legend Yao Ming may lead China’s professional basketball body: media report
Former star of Houston Rockets, who was inducted into basketball’s Hall of Fame in 2016, retired from sport in 2011
China may name retired basketball legend Yao Ming as chairman of the body running the country’s professional basketball league, the Chinese Basketball Association, mainland media reported.
However, both Yao and the association have refused to comment on the report.
Yao, 36, is the country’s most successful player in history – having played for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association in the US from 2002 to 2011. He was inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.
The new Sports Minister Gou Zhongwen suggested that Yao should be considered for the role of head of the CBA or even the head coach of the national team, in a written instruction on the development of basketball in China, the Basketball Pioneer newspaper reported.
Yao’s fine talents at basketball and his imposing 2.29-metre height saw him become a star of the Houston Rockets. He also led the China men’s national team to eighth place at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
