Yao Ming truly a worldly player

There has only been one player, which I can think of, in the modern era of professional basketball to have an impact truly internationally. Nope it’s not Kobe Bryant, nor LeBron James.  He stands essentially 7-foot-6, and is the face of an entire country. Drafted number one overall in 2002 from there on approximately 200 million viewers has followed him from China to Houston. It’s Yao Ming if you haven’t guessed by now.  It’s true that time does fly, Yao has been absent over the last two seasons, and again will miss this season with a stress fracture in his left ankle. Houston at one point had two All-Stars starting in their lineup Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, McGrady is now in Detroit. Houston has suffered without Yao during the playoffs without him in the lineup. Early exit three times in the first round while missing the playoffs twice, over the past five seasons. I would have labeled Yao an iron man, over his first three years with Houston he played in 99 percent of all games over a three year period, not to many players can top that. Unfortunately, this latest injury will sideline him for the rest of this season and will jeopardize his career.  Yao has opened the gates to professional basketball to China, and surely the NBA has benefited from it. There are plenty of miles on those size 18 shoes of his, it was a media zoo when he first arrival.  After his games there would be 30 plus reporters in his face, which were just Chinese media. I can’t pick out a single former or current player who demanded that type of worldly attention. Before Yao enter the league a Rockets player could walk through any NBA cities mall and go unrecognized. Talk about an impact on his teammates, some have receive endorsement deals in China simply by playing with Yao. I’m not sure I could have maintained my psyche with that type of following.  As Houston looks to the future I only hope that Yao Ming can come back from this latest injury to contribute his 22 point and 50 percent shooting so that, the league can have another dominate big man as they are slowly becoming extinct. Until next time live out your DREAMS with some Determination, put forth Real Efforts and given your Abilities; Mean you will have Success.