Interview: Yao Ming’s Vision for China’s National Basketball Team

In mid-December, Yao Ming was re-elected to helm China’s professional basketball league as president of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). It’s a role the 42-year-old retired NBA hall of famer has held over the past six years.

Yao is a basketball icon in China due to his success in the NBA, where he played eight seasons for the Houston Rockets from 2002 to 2011. He also led the national team to the quarterfinals at the Beijing Summer Olympics in 2008. Since retirement from competitive sport, Yao has been working to improve the professional sports scene in China.