Full name is Yao Ming, with Yao his surname and Ming his given name. Both of his parents played for China's National Teams, as his father Yao Zhi Yuan stands 6-foot-7 and his mother Fang Feng Di stands 6-foot-3.

Became the first-ever number one pick to come from an international basketball league. Measures in as the tallest and second-heaviest player ever taken with the first overall selections in the NBA Draft. Became the third Chinese player in NBA history upon entering the NBA, following fellow Chinese National Team members Wang Zhizhi and Mengke Bateer.

Joined the Youth Sports School at age nine and received formal training in basketball for the first time and was then selected to the Shanghai Youth Team at age 14. Yao has played against elite international talent since being named to the Chinese National Team at age 18.

Scored 10.5 points per game with team-leading averages of 6.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots in the 2000 Olympic Games. Also led China with a field goal percentage of .639 in the Olympics. Averaged 13.4 points on .724 shooting with 10.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots in the 2001 Asian Basketball Championship for Men, helping China capture the title and an accompanying berth in the 2002 World Championship. Stands as the fifth number one overall pick in franchise history. Nicknamed "The Little Giant". Enjoys playing computer games. Studied at the Shanghai Physical & Sport Technic Education Institute. Yao is an honorary student at the Shanghai Foreign Language Institute.

--NBA.com