When a player retires and is good enough to warrant it, the discussions about whether or not that player deserves to be in his sport’s Hall of Fame begin almost instantly. (See: Randy Moss.)

So when Yao Ming announced his retirement due to injury this summer, the talk was that although he was an eight-time All-Star in the NBA, his injuries and early departure from the game would likely keep him out of joining the all-time greats in Springfield.

However, there may still be a way that the 7-foot-6 giant of a man, both in stature and influence, could find a way to still make the Hall of Fame and much earlier than he would have been eligible.

According to a report by NBA.com, “representatives from the Chinese Basketball Association and media in China signaled plans to nominate Yao in the contributor category and bypass the usual five-year waiting period for retired players.”

Yao could make the perfect contributor candidate for the Hall, given the way he spread the NBA and basketball to China during his time in the league. According to the report, David Stern once said of Yao, “his dominant play and endearing demeanor along with his extensive humanitarian efforts have made him an international fan favorite and provided an extraordinary bridge between basketball fans in the United States and China.”

The list of people who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame as contributors includes the sport’s inventor James Naismith, former Harlem Globetrotter Meadowlark Lemon, Lakers owner Jerry Buss and ESPN personality Dick Vitale.

One Comments for “Report: Yao Ming could enter Hall of Fame next year”

1. DJKuulA Says:
   August 9th, 2011 at 2:25 pm

   That makes sense, but I still think they should wait 5 years.

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