Why did Yao Ming make the Hall of Fame?

[t-wizzle]

Seems like a bit of a stretch. He had some good years but career was short and never had any playoff success.

[Snowball]

diversity. need an Asian.

[lakerboy]

Helped nba grow game in Asia. Apparently that gives him hall status.

[Goat Milk]

Did he really make it?

Only thing I can think of is his global contributions to the game and the fact that he's been one of the best international ambassadors in history of nba.

his career was good but no where near hof

[packerd_00]

He doesn't belong in the Hall,period.

[MUHerd37]

Completely ridiculous

[lakerboy]

Who voted him in?

[DiggityDaggityDo]

Only guy that can make Shaq look like a normal sized human.

[rm18]

Hes got to be taller than 7'4 Shaq is like 7'1 barefoot I thought.

[rm18]

Yao was a better player than a lot of centers in the HOF but did not play that long.

[packerd_00]

Hall of Fame is abit ridiculous,to many guys get in.

[pavyracer]

Seems like a bit of a stretch. He had some good years but career was short and never had any playoff success.

China has 1.5 billion people. It's all about selling tourist tickets at the HOF. Pure business decision.

[SharpAngles]

If he stayed healthy he would've gone down as top 5 center.

You don't know basketball if you have to ask why he made the HOF.

[Breadloser]

Apparently he was voted in by a separate international committee. Maybe he achieved a lot in international competition. It's still a joke, but that's the loophole. I'm not really familiar with the hoops hall of fame.

[Breadloser]

If he stayed healthy he would've gone down as top 5 center.

You don't know basketball if you have to ask why he made the HOF.

If Eric Lindros stayed healthy...

[Auto Donk]

the chinese probably own the Hall of Fame Property (as part of the huge chunk of the US they've already purchased)

[packerd_00]

If he stayed healthy he would've gone down as top 5 center.

You don't know basketball if you have to ask why he made the HOF.

But he didn't so its a moot point.

[t-wizzle]

China has 1.5 billion people. It's all about selling tourist tickets at the HOF. Pure business decision.

I'm aware of this. I don't really agree with using the Hall of Fame as a marketing device. He doesn't belong in as a player.

[SharpAngles]

But he didn't so its a moot point.

Added to the fact it attracts millions of Chinese tourists it is the whole point. No upside for NBA not to put him in and most players who went against him would agree he belongs anyway.

[DOM-Ganador]

It is a no brainer. As above, 1.5 billion people.
Plus, he was an incredible ambassador.

If he was from Pittsburgh, not a chance.
But honestly, good for him, and I had no idea he was in.

[Mr. Teaser]

I'm aware of this. I don't really agree with using the Hall of Fame as a marketing device. He doesn't belong in as a player.

Don' t agree with the NBA using this as a marketing device? The NBA itself is nothing but a marketing device. The sport sold out long ago.

[jtoler]

This is why HOF's are crap and Im a Yao fan, when healthy sometimes he was really good and despite pain would try his butt off, but he didnt play long enough and didnt have the numbers. Even if he played 16 years instead of 8 he wouldnt have been good enough forget growing the game in Asia Im sure Jeremy Lin did too. Bill Walton shouldnt be in either, sorry.

[cwnotorious]

If Eric Lindros stayed healthy...

If penny hardaway stayed healthy

[jjgold]

Lin a hall of famer then

[Wallnuts]

If Sean Taylor wasn't shot in the dik.....

[rsnnh12]

He made it in for contributions to basketball, and deservedly so. Yao did huge things for the games popularity. 100% a Hall of Famer.

Basketball Hall is different from other sports, it's not just about who performed the best at the highest level. If you do a lot to advance the game, you get in. That's why there are 3 people associated with the Globetrotters inducted

[jtoler]

He made it in for contributions to basketball, and deservedly so. Yao did huge things for the games popularity. 100% a Hall of Famer.

Basketball Hall is different from other sports, it's not just about who performed the best at the highest level. If you do a lot to advance the game, you get in. That's why there are 3 people associated with the Globetrotters inducted

Thats totally different.

[trobin31]

Nba hof means nothing, they put everyone in. Baseball is toughest one to make it, then football

[rsnnh12]

Thats totally different.

How so? Globetrotters advanced basketball by bringing it to the doorsteps of people who may never have seen a pro game... They made millions of people basketball fans around the world. Yao did the same.

Basketball Hall of Fame. Not NBA Hall of Fame

[infamousbacardi]

One word and one word only as to why he got in. Money. Just like most decisions in the world.

[lakerboy]

Did Byron Scott make the hall?

[CanuckG]

This isn't the NBA hall of fame. It's the BASKETBALL hall of fame. Of course he'd make it.

[t-wizzle]

This isn't the NBA hall of fame. It's the BASKETBALL hall of fame. Of course he'd make it.

I never said it was NBA. Are you insinuating his China stats should be taken into consideration?

[djpremier36]

The dude was and still is a global icon. His contributions off the court are still piling up. Well deserved!

[rsnnh12]

I never said it was NBA. Are you insinuating his China stats should be taken into consideration?

It's not necessarily about the stats with Yao though. It's similar to the reason Drazen Petrovic is in the Hall, even though he didn't even play 300 NBA games and was killed before he turned 29... Drazen helped usher in the movement from European ball to the NBA. He did a lot for the game.