Yao Ming's net worth, age, children, wife, teams, measurements; why did he retire?

Yao Ming's net worth, age, children, wife, teams, measurements; why did he retire?

Yao Ming was a professional basketball player from Shanghai, China. Did you know he was the tallest player in China when he was playing? The athlete began playing with the Shanghai Sharks as a youth, after which he was picked by the NBA's Houston Rockets in 2002, making him the third Chinese player to ever play in the league. Yao Ming's net worth makes him one of the richest NBA players. Why did he retire?

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Yao Ming's age
He is a retired NBA player who played for Houston Rockets. Photo: Feng Li
Source: Getty Images

The president of the Chinese Basketball Association and former Chinese basketball player was active in the league from 1997 until 2011. Besides his income from playing, Ming has made income through endorsements and as a businessman. Here is everything you need to know about who is the tallest person in the NBA, including his private life and career.

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Yao Ming's profiles and bio

Full nameYao Ming
GenderMale
Date of birth12th September 1980
Age41 years (as of 2022)
Zodiac signVirgo
Place of birthShanghai, China
NationalityChinese
Height in feet7'6''
Height in centimetres229
Weight in pounds310
Weight in kilograms140.6
Eye colourDark brown
Hair colourBlack
Shoe size18 (US)
FatherYao Zhiyuan
MotherFang Fengdi
Marital statusMarried
SpouseYe Li
Yao Ming's children1 (Yao Qinlei Amy Ming)
EducationAntai College of Economics & Management and Shanghai No.2 Secondary School
OccupationRetired basketball player and entrepreneur
TeamsShanghai Sharks and Houston Rockets
Net worth$160 million
Instagramyao

Early life

The former basketball player was born on 12th September 1980 in Shanghai, China. As a result, Yao Ming's age is 41 years as of 2022.

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He is the only son of Yao Zhiyuan and Fang Fengdi. Yao Ming's parents are former basketball players. For example, his father was part of the Shanghai team while his mother played for the Chinese national team.

What is Yao Ming's parents' height? His father was 6 feet and 7 inches tall, and his mother was 6 feet and 3 inches.

Education

The athlete schooled at Shanghai No.2 secondary school and Antai College of Economics & Management, where he attained a degree in economics in 2018.

Career

Yao Ming's children
Yao Ming, #11 of the Houston Rockets, controls the ball during their NBA game at Staples Center on 26th October 2010. Photo: Jeff Gross
Source: Getty Images

Ming began playing basketball at a young age and was quickly noticed by a sports official, who chose him to be a member of a Shanghai sports team.

He joined the Shanghai Sharks junior team of CBA when he was 13 years old and went on to play for the senior team, scoring ten points and grabbing eight rebounds. Here is a breakdown of his career journey.

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Rise to fame

While playing for the Sharks, he led them to win their first CBA championship. In 2002, the star joined the NBA draft before being allowed to play in the US by Team Yao, a group of advisers comprised Yao's negotiator, NBA and Chinese agents.

He was the first overall pick by Houston Rockets, making him the first international athlete to play in the US before joining college basketball. He was an All-Star and a member of the league's All-Rookie squad that season.

The former basketballer was named an all-star in each of the following six seasons, and he helped the Rockets reach the playoffs in five of them. Yao became the focal point of the NBA's attempts to promote the league worldwide.

Why did Yao Ming retire? In 2011, the former NBA player retired due to several injuries. He announced his retirement from basketball at a press conference in Shanghai on 20th July 2011. Along with Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson. He started his wine brand afterwards.

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Are you aware that he is a Basketball Hall of Fame member? The former sportsman was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. In 2017, he was named chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association.

Has Yao Ming ever made a 3?

No, the star hit 2 three-pointers in his career. A 3-pointer is a shot made from outside the three-point arc in basketball. Three points are awarded for shots taken from anywhere outside the line to the baseline on the other side of the court.

Yao Ming's wife and children

Yao Ming's wife
The sports legend and his wife Ye Li, and their daughter Yao Qinlei attend his press conference announcing his retirement from basketball on 20th July 2011. Photo: Visual China
Source: Getty Images

He has been married to Ye Li, a former Chinese women's basketball player, since 6th August 2007. The duo met while playing basketball in 1998 in Shanghai and have one daughter named Yao Qinlei. Yao Ming's daughter was born on 21st May 2010 in Huston, Texas.

What disease does Yao Ming have?

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The star does not suffer from any disease, but Sun Mingming, a former basketball player, does. He had a pituitary tumour that affected his playing performance that was removed in 2005. Furthermore, Sun suffers from acromegaly, a disorder caused by a tumour in his pituitary gland, which causes it to overproduce growth hormone.

Yao Ming's measurements

Is Yao Ming taller than 7' 6"? He currently stands at seven feet and six inches (229 cm) tall. His chest measures 42 inches (92 cm), while his neck measures 16 inches (35cm). In addition, the star's palms are giant (hand length: 22 cm).

What is Yao Ming's shoe size? Ming and Kevin Durant both wear a size 18. The Lopez twins, who wear size 20, are the ones who compete with NBA players in terms of shoe size.

Yao Ming's net worth

How much did Yao Ming make a year? Yao's most significant career salary came in his final season with the Rockets, when he was paid $17.6 million. In total, he was paid around $93 million by the NBA. His net worth is said to be around $160 million.

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Who is the richest basketball player ever?

Retired American professional basketball player and entrepreneur Michael Jordan is the richest ever, with a net worth of $1.7 billion.

Yao Ming's net worth inspires everybody who aspires to be successful in life, regardless of their poor beginnings or other challenges. His success was due to his adaptability, agility, focus, ethics, and determination. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours.

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
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Sheila Kamau Sheila Kamau is a content writer who writes magazines, press releases, blogs and newsletters. She currently writes on matters ranging from life hacks to biographies on Briefly. She can be reached at kamausheila6@gmail.com