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Houston Rockets: 25 Best Players To Play For The Rockets

By Phil Watson

Apr 21, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; General view inside Toyota Center before game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs between the Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 21, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; General view inside Toyota Center before game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs between the Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Basketball: Houston Rockets Yao Ming (11) in action vs Oklahoma City Thunder Robert Swift (31). Oklahoma City, OK 11/17/2008 CREDIT: Greg Nelson (Photo by Greg Nelson /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X81490 TK1 R1 F184 )
Basketball: Houston Rockets Yao Ming (11) in action vs Oklahoma City Thunder Robert Swift (31). Oklahoma City, OK 11/17/2008 CREDIT: Greg Nelson (Photo by Greg Nelson /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X81490 TK1 R1 F184 ) /

3. player. 169. <strong>How acquired:</strong> 1st overall pick from Shanghai Sharks (China), 2002 NBA Draft.. C. 2002-09, 2010-11. Yao Ming

When the Chinese Basketball Association opted to let young star Yao Ming try his hand in the NBA, it wanted certain assurances, among them being that the Houston Rockets would take him with the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft.

The Rockets did and Yao was an All-Rookie selection in 2002-03 while becoming an eighth-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection.

HOU_03_YAO
HOU_03_YAO /

He finished third in the NBA in field-goal percentage in 2004-05, but a broken foot in the 2009 playoffs ultimately ended his career—he was only able to play in five more games after the injury and retired in July 2011.

The foot problem had also limited Yao to just 57 games in 2005-06, while a broken bone in his knee cut his season to 48 games in 2006-07. In 2007-08, more foot and knee problems kept him out of 27 games.

In eight seasons in Houston, Yao averaged 19 points, 9.2. rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.6 assists in 32.5 minutes per game, shooting .524/2-for-10/.833.

In international competition for China, Yao averaged 19.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game across five competitions–three Olympics (2000, 2004 and 2008) and two FIBA World Championships (2002, 2006).

Set for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016, Yao is 44th in NBA history with a field-goal percentage of .524 and 26th with an average of 1.9 blocks per game.

Next: Chairman Of The Boards Rose To Stardom In Houston

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