Is NBA Legend Yao Ming actually 7-foot-6? Finding out more

Basketball Hall of Famer Yao Ming is generally considered the tallest No. 1 pick in NBA draft history at 7-foot-6. “The Great Wall” was taken by the Houston Rockets in 2002 and played for the same team in his nine-year career.

Rockets fans expected the towering center to help turn the fortunes of their franchise right from the get-go. Yao didn’t disappoint as he led Houston to a 43-39 record after holding a 28-54 win-loss slate the previous season.

The Rockets didn’t make the playoffs in his rookie year but many were bullish about their potential behind the Chinese basketball superstar. Yao was selected to the All-Star game, one of the leading vote-getters, in his first season in the NBA. He had more votes than Shaquille O’Neal and started at center for the Western Conference.

“The Great Wall” played all 82 games as a rookie, which many did not expect due to his huge frame. He averaged 13.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and 1.7 assists.

Yao Ming followed up his rookie year with a superb sophomore campaign. The 7-foot-6 big man improved his averages to 17.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.9 BPG and 1.7 APG. He didn’t miss a single game and was again the Western Conference’s starting center in the All-Star game.

More importantly, the Houston Rockets made it to the playoffs but were eliminated by Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers in five games.

Yao had a solid playoff debut. He averaged 15.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.8 APG and 1.4 BPG. The Chinese center had his moments against Shaquille O'Neal, the most dominant big man in that era and arguably in NBA history.

The third season of Yao Ming’s career was the last time he was mostly healthy. He played 80 games, played in the All-Star game and again carried the Rockets to the playoffs. This time, they were dispatched by the Dallas Mavericks in a thrilling seven-game classic.

The Rockets no longer had Steve Francis but had scoring machine Tracy McGrady as a replacement. Yao had an even better second appearance in the playoffs. He averaged 21.4 PPG, 7.7 RPG and 2.7 BPG.

Dallas’ depth and balance were just a little too much for the Yao-McGrady duo to overcome.

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Injuries robbed Yao Ming of a longer and more accomplished career

After missing just two games in his first three seasons in the NBA, Yao Ming missed 86 games in his next three. A myriad of foot and leg injuries curtailed his impact on the floor for the Houston Rockets. Despite seeing limited action, he never missed the All-Star game until 2010 when he sat out the entire season.

In his final year in the NBA, the 7-foot-6 giant played only five games. He retired as the litany of injuries considerably slowed him down and limited his availability.

Yao Ming’s No.11 was retired by the Houston Rockets a few years after his retirement. He became a member of the 2016 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame alongside NBA greats Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal.

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