The FIBA Hall of Fame honors players, coaches, teams, referees, and administrators who have greatly contributed to international competitive basketball. It was established by FIBA in 1991.
Yao, who began his professional career with China’s Shanghai Sharks, played in a range of international competitions — including three Olympic Games and two world championships.
Success in those settings paved the way for Yao to join the NBA, where he was drafted No. 1 overall by the Rockets in 2002. In eight seasons in Houston from 2002 until 2010, Yao averaged 19.0 points (52.4% FG), 9.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in 32.5 minutes per game.
Ultimately, his career was tragically cut short by various foot injuries. Yet, because of his on-court brilliance over that limited time and a unique personal story, Yao still made a lasting impact.
Here’s a look at Yao’s induction speech. In all, 12 players were inducted as part of this year’s class, which was announced as part of activities surrounding the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
