Don’t pin hopes on finding my successor, Yao tells fans

Yao Ming believes it is unrealistic for fans to expect a player of his magnitude to emerge onto the scene for Chinese basketball.

Speaking at the GBA International Sports Business Summit in Macao on Friday, the former Houston Rockets star insisted the hope that China could discover “the new Yao” is somewhat unrealistic.

“Sometimes I feel that people should not expect another Yao Ming because I enjoyed many unique conditions when I was young,” said Yao, who was an eight-time NBA All-Star between 2003 and 2011.

“Not all kids have such an environment. I grew up in a sports family, my parents were professional athletes, I was discovered at a young age, started training early, and also received preferential resources. To some extent, this is not replicable.”

“Personally, instead of expecting a model like this, I prefer to find one that can be replicated,” he added. “Can we expect the next Jeremy Lin? I know Jeremy Lin grew up in the United States, so can we expect to see more players like Zhao Jiwei, Guo Ailun, Liu Wei, Guo Shiqiang and Hu Weidong appearing soon?

“Perhaps they have more in common with ordinary families. If there were more players like this, our basketball level, league quality, and basketball market would be even better.”

Transitioning to his role as chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association, Yao discussed the broader societal role of basketball.

“If we regard society as a family, then sports, including basketball, are like toys we place in our home. For most fans, basketball is a part of life. As administrators, we need to consider what kind of experience basketball and the league can bring to fans, whether they can find a sense of belonging here, and whether they can connect with the stars and fans,” he explained.

Reflecting on the state of Chinese basketball, Yao admitted that there is much work to do to revive its standing on the global stage, but pointed to encouraging signs.

“Participation levels in Chinese basketball are very high now. We have seen the Village Basketball Association (also known as Cun BA), school basketball, and multiple professional teams all established,” he said.

“As for the CBA, are we grabbing the public’s attention enough? The 2025 season will mark the 30th anniversary of the CBA league. It now receives support from so many companies, which is actually the contribution of several generations to society, gaining recognition and thus yielding returns,” he added. “So can we deliver a better product to gain more recognition from our partners and help us in various aspects, including events and training? That’s what I hope to see.”