Yao Ming,Big Shoes to Fill

by Yin Xing

Wherever Yao Ming goes， its hard for the 226-centimeter-tall athlete not to draw focus. It came as no surprise that he attracted the spotlight at the first session of the 12th CPPCC（Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference） National Committee， which was held last March in Beijing. Actually， Yao has never left public sight since he retired from basketball after his 16-year athletic career. From player to owner of a basketball team， student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University， CPPCC member， and philanthropist， Yaos post-NBA life has continued as radiantly as ever.

Savvy Team Owner

After his retirement， Yao found more time to manage the Shanghai Sharks Basketball Team. After Yao acquired the controlling share of the team， he introduced two foreign players： one was an NBA bench warmer and the other hadnt even played in the NBA. Other CBA （China Basketball Association） clubs were spending fortunes on foreign players. However， Yaos management style is to develop gradually and keep costs under control. In 2011， Shanghai ranked 6th out of 16 teams in league， but its costs were among the lowest.

Yao seldom sets goals for the team or offers monetary incentives. He wants to build a professional atmosphere and relieve players anxieties about success and money.“A team draws energy from an advanced management system， which in turn can attract more good players， and an excellent training system can develop good players，”said Yao. He hopes to refine the Shanghai Sharks into an open-minded team and“ultimately a world-class team.”

Having grown up in Chinas state-run sports system and participated in many world-class athletic events， Yao gained deep understanding of sports culture.“The elementary step of sports is to build a strong body，” he explains. “But the advanced step is to build a strong will. Actually， sports and education share a mutual purpose， which is to enlighten and instill wisdom.” Immersed in American culture for eight years， Yao discovered that Chinese and American people hold different attitudes towards the game. “In the U.S.， basketball is just one part of life. The sport is not as important as it is in China.”

Injecting Warmth

On August 12， 2012， Yao Ming flew to Kenya soon after he finished serving as a commentator at the London Olympic Games. In Kenya he served as a volunteer for WildAid， which was filming an antipoaching documentary. On August 24， Yao flew from Africa back to China to participate in Hope Primary School Basketball

Season launched by Yao Fund in Leshan City， Sichuan Province.

Philanthropy has become an important part of Yaos life. In 2003， he first dove into charity by organizing donations from celebrities to fight SARS. In 2008， Yao contributed 16 million yuan to Wenchuan earthquake relief efforts. The same year， he founded the Yao Fund， which at first was dedicated to rebuilding the schools razed in the Wenchuan earthquake. In recent years， the Yao Fund has dispatched basketball teachers to primary schools and recruited stars to take part in the Basketball Summer Camp. It also helped build schools and basketball courts as well as providing sporting equipments for schools in povertystricken areas.

“In addition to bringing glory to my country， I can also help others by bringing them happiness and warmth，” remarks Yao， who never expected that an athlete could exert such tremendous influence on philanthropic causes. Today， charitable efforts are “as natural as drinking water” for him， according to Yao.

Back to School

Along the way， Yao Ming has garnered many political titles including Vice President of Shanghai Public Diplomacy Association， Shanghai municipal CPPCC member and national CPPCC member. Although busy， he is always vigilant in his political duties. At the first session of 12th CPPCC National Committee， Yaos proposal focused on Chinas state-run sports system.“Many sports like gymnastics， weight lifting and diving， which China dominates， can hardly survive without governmental management due to expensive necessary training facilities，” Yao notes， “but other sports such as basketball and football， which are more popular with the public， can thrive in the open market.” Yao believes that some less marketable sports can still be run by the government， but the time has come to loosen management of other professional sports and to otherwise promote them in the market.

Yao did not receive formal education after he left school at age 17. No longer a basketball player， Yao wanted to return to school. He once stated that regardless of whether he would become a businessman or an official， he first wanted to go back to finish college. Now he is a sophomore at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He spends half of his weekdays in classes and working on homework. Sometimes he must decline invites to social activities due to his studies.

Once， an American journalist asked Yao about his favorite American music.“The American national anthem，” Yao grinned. “I heard it at least 82 times a year.” When Yao stood on the NBA hardwood， he was already elevated beyond a typical basketball player. Coupled with the humor he showcased along with his basketball skill， Yaos dedication to philanthropy has shattered Western stereotypes of the rigidity of Chinese people.

“I harvested enough success and happiness for myself from the basketball court，” the big man sighs. “The time has come to begin my next journey.” And no one can deny the deep impact of footprints Yao Ming leaves wherever he walks.