Yao still setting good example

The 15-minute speech Yao Ming delivered on Friday night when he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has gone viral on the internet.

As a household name in China, Yao is the first Asian player to be inducted into basketball's Hall of Fame. In a publicity video aimed at promoting China's image that was broadcast in New York's Times Square a few years ago, some foreign viewers only recognized Yao's face. In this sense, Yao has become a symbol of China and its benign interactions with the outside world.

Yao did not have a long NBA career, but he did make remarkable contributions to his chosen sport. As an eight-time All-Star, Yao played 486 games over nine years, all with the Houston Rockets, averaging 19 points and 9.2 rebounds before foot and ankle injuries forced his retirement in 2011. His introduction to the Hall of Fame along with Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson is enough to demonstrate his widely recognized contribution to the game.