and Hakeem Olajuwon in his rookie season until he became a veteran presence himself when Yao Ming came to the NBA. As somebody who witnessed the "Great Wall's" transition from a novelty act to a ...

Yao Ming, a 7’6 center from China, was discussed almost like an urban legend before his arrival in 2002 (he first appeared on radars at the 2000 Summer Olympics), and when the Houston Rockets ...