McGrady lauds Yao's lasting influence

Former Houston teammate says CBA boss 'will get things done'

It's been years since Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming partnered on the court for the Houston Rockets, but the seven-time NBA All-Star firmly believes Yao remains the best man to fire China's fortunes in international hoops.

Both Hall of Famers inspired an entire generation of Chinese fans, and Yao, who retired in 2011, was last year appointed chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association and helped steer the country to four gold medals on the court at the recent Asian Games in Jakarta.