YaoMing(bornSeptember12,1980;Horoscope:Virgo;BioodType:A)isaprofessionalbasketballplayerwhoplaysfortheHoustonRocketsoftheNationalBasketballAssociation(NBA).HeiscurrentlythetallestplayerintheNBA,at2.29m(7ft6in).Yao,whowasborninShanghai,startedplayingfortheShanghaiSharksasateenager,andplayedontheirseniorteamforfiveyearsintheChineseBasketballAssociation(CBA),winningachampionshipinhisfinalyear.Heenteredthe2002NBADraft,andafternegotiatingwiththeCBAandtheSharkstosecurehisrelease,wasselectedbytheHoustonRocketsasthefirstoverallpickofthedraft.HehassincebeenselectedtostartfortheWesternConferenceintheNBAAll-StarGameinallsevenofhisseasons,andhasbeennamedtotheAll-NBATeamfivetimes.However,theRocketshaveadvancedpastthefirstroundoftheplayoffsonlyoncesincehejoinedtheteam,andhehasmissedsignificanttimeduetoinjuryineachofthepastfourseasons.