The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame said Yao Ming had changed the face of global basketball as a respected player and ambassador of the game.

Yao is currently in Shanghai and couldn't attend the official announcement in Houston, the US. Hearing that he was on the candidate list for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Yao said he was surprised and honoured.

"First of all, I was very surprised, of course, just like everyone else. And I feel very honoured that I can be part of the list. And I also know who is also on the list, O'Neil, A.I. and other great guys from basketball history. That's why I feel really honoured that I can be here. "

姚明正式入选NBA名人堂

Also headlining the 2016 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class are NBA greats Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson.

O'Neal has spoken about his first impressions of Yao Ming and congratulated him and China for his nomination.

"The first time I met him, he blocked my shots seven times and I didn't know who he was. He was the first guy who turned around and looked at me in the eyes and he would jump in my face. Well, Yao, I wanna say congratulations to you, congratulations to China. You definitely deserve it. You are a great player, a great ambassador to the game, a great friend. Nihao, and congratulations brother."

Ming, the No. 1 overall pick in 2002 of the Houston Rockets, is recognized as much for opening the door to international stars as his statistics.

Ming's career ended early because of foot injuries but he averaged 19 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game in eight seasons in the NBA but played only five games combined in his final two seasons.

Yao led his hometown Shanghai Sharks to a Championship of the Chinese Basketball Association in 2002 and as the anchor of the Chinese National Team, Yao was named a three-time FIBA Asian Championship MVP.

Yao's former coach Jeff Van Gundy also speaks highly of him as a basketball player.

"I'm so happy that Yao Ming is getting a just honour and being inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame. He is the first class player who had a career cut-short back injury. But he was the most outstanding player you could ever hope to coach, a great leader, a great teammate—he had every single intangible that you needed on a team. So for Yao to get inducted like this and people to recognise his greatness, it's a great thing for Yao and a great thing for the Houston Rockets."

The induction ceremony will be held in Springfield, Massachusetts on September 9, 2016.

Longtime Chicago Bulls owner and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf will also be enshrined. He is identified for elevating the Bulls into consistent winners during the pairing of Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson. The Bulls won six NBA championships in the 1990s.

Since 1959, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has inducted 361 Coaches, Players, Referees, Contributors, and Teams.

As the highest honor in Basketball, entrance into the Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding contributions to the sport.

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.