Yao Ming was one of the greatest centers in NBA history and one of the most significant players in basketball history as he helped open the doors to China for the league. The Rockets center was an eight time all star who averaged 19 ppg and 9.2 rbg and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. This past weekend he added another accomplishment to his resume- college graduate.
Seven years after enrolling in college, Ming finally received a degree in economics from Chinas Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
At a certain stage in the future, you should try to combine your future with the future of the society, because thats how you can find larger space for yourself to explore, said Yao.
Let me quote a famous conversation that happened on a basketball court 11 years ago, ‘This is going to be your league in a little while.’ Trust me, when a man spends seven years in university to graduate at age 38, he knows what he’s talking about,” added the hall of famer.
Yao’s long journey to obtain his degree satisfies a promise he made to his parents at the age of seventeen when, upon leaving to play pro basketball in the CBA, he gave them his word that he would graduate.
Ming now joins other NBA greats who went back to college after their pro careers were over to complete their degree and graduate. That includes Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Vince Carter, who graduated right before a playoff game and was ripped for it after failing to make a potential game winning shot in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Sixers in 2001.
Congrats Yao!
