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On this day in 2002, the Houston Rockets selected 7-foot-6 center Yao Ming, previously of the Shanghai Sharks, with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft.
The selection marked the first time a player who had played neither high school nor college basketball in the United States was the top selection in the NBA Draft. Upon entering the NBA, Yao instantly became a global icon given his large fanbase in China.
Yao eventually played eight years in the NBA with the Rockets, averaging 19 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 486 career games. In 2003, he became the first rookie since Grant Hill in 1995 to be named an All-Star as a rookie and eventually earned that honor each year played in the NBA.
Yao retired in 2011 after suffering several injuries during the back-end of his career. He was named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and his No. 11 has been retired by the Rockets organization.
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