Yao Ming’s Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Speech

welcoming the our to the Hall of Fame our Dikembe Mutombo Bill Russell and Bill Walton ladies and gentlemen Yao Ming [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] well I imagine this for long term but even when I'm here finally I still feel nervous I can tell you that as having asked question Chamma Chamma again how you feel how you feel about this tonight I can tell you I'm nervous especially after under watch by three legends former NBA history mr. Alleva Hall of Fame's Executive Committee ladies and gentlemen good evening when I heard that I would be the first speaker in tonight I think maybe somebody made a mistake don't laugh because I think maybe because I think this spot belong to great on an absent because I need a more practice than him first of all I would like to sync hallo fan committee is such a great honor your recognition had made tonight a most a memorable memory for me although because my career and it's too soon for me I treasure each and every moment are grateful for my time on court and for your recognition tonight I'd like to sync to my sponsors right here your Russell IRA member nicob well I remember I remember you invite me to your house for the dinner and Seattle San Cielo in my rookie year and that night your device and the old voice really relaxed me down in my family in my first year and welcomed me to this country they could go watching you support me all the way down and your device and your encouragement really helped me from beginning well I hate to say to the end but insofar and you are the first guy caught me while wake up while I woke up from my foster and encourage me and tell me to stay positive I would always remember you can be I put you I laugh because he looks like the oldest industry we're played together for five years all the great memories all the great memories or women on and off the court and nothing can break the bond between us even with your elbow you give to me on practice court as you know I'm from China and by basketball journey again from dear my parents were basketball player back to 1970s I hear so many story about them as player and as mowing for most importantly as a good person I'm so fortunate can be your son the gift the gift I had a get funding from you is not only the heist but the way you taught me how to think and how to make decision of course and the soft touch I had on free-throw line that's why I have about 10,000 free-throw less than Shaq on Hill my wife Lee is here today tonight we met when we are highschool age you know how much you know how much means to me and a thank you to be my life partner our lovely daughter Amy is a treasure for both of us you can we all we all wish we could be here today but because the first week of her school and she had to live with the consequence when she chooses a soccer / basketball [Applause] yeah I will walk down for I would fix that over fixing my basketball journey began on the back of a coach Willie drumming is a bicycle when you give me a ride to my very first basketball practice I would like to congratulate our Denver this year thank you for your work and your effort of so many kids including myself a benefit from you totally tripping the you are my coach at Shanghai Sharks and you take us you let us went to the first and probably only a champion sure we have so far before I went through NBA you gave up too much and you sacrificed so much in that year in those years even as a at a time where you lost your wife in a battle cancer thank you for that we'll never get ourselves a water tank loss tank the city of Shanghai Joe hi sharks and the C B and C Bailey that did everything they could to prepare me they rise me trained me and helped me to get ready for the next challenge in my life there's an old saying in China that if the mural is made of a brown one can dress properly if the mirror is history one can predict ups and down one of the mural is people one can flex on one's own weakness and strength I would like to take moment to mention a few mirrors in my life first I like to mention mr. moto e he was a legend Chinese patrol legend attacked my home and over 80 years ago mr. mo mr. McGowen came here into Springfield to study basketball after da he went back to China dedicated his life for Chinese possible and today the championship cup of cba is named after him da copies become to become the life goal for every CBA plays stream off um I'm not the first Chinese man to play in the NBA that honors went belong to mr. Wan juju he was a pioneer for all future Chinese players who dream of coming to the NBA he cleared the road for us and it made so many sacrifice I learned so much from him although he cannot be here today I want to thank him many many people know the story that began when Rockets drop me at 2002 and not many people know how much effort the rock is putting before I write and throughout my career thank you too unless Alexander Mike Gober Kara Dawson cabron there Maury and Keith Jones or make me feel at home in Houston I arrived on my first day Steve Francis give me a strong high-five and and a huge to welcome Steve had being a perfect bird big brother to me ever since that day Cuttino Mobley invite me to his home for something called soul food but please excuse me for my beginning English back then that I heard sounds like a salty food which confused me a little bit sent you to Steve Tino and everyone on my earliest walkest teams to make me feel so welcomed coaching Rudy Tomjanovich is famous for saying never saying that never underestimate the heart of a champion Rudy has a demonstrate he is not only on court but off the court too especially East battle was cancer Rudy you have inspired me to be better that I can be when Jim Van Gandhi arrived with Patrick Ewing and the top tibideaux that Doc coaching staff a really turn us into a tough defense team like he always does was t-mac Shane Battier Reeve Austin would become a talented young team especially with Dikembe Mutombo that team was not only competitive but a team with a brotherhood I always I always remember coach Van Gundy saying once that the best chance it also could be your last chance that is so true in basketball and in life my last boss my last NBA coach was Rick Adam he helped us to develop so many talent players like Carl Landry Luis Scola in era Aaron Brooks we had a great run in 2008 with our nice season but unfortunately my injury cut this crusting short and and my charm with rock s too soon I will always remember my time span with Houston Rockets as some of the best time in my life as a basketball player I was one of the most blessed players on planet I played against some of the best athlete in award a great athlete not only has great teammates but also great ponies a great opponent pushed me push us forward a great opponent like Shaquille O'Neal check every game we played remind me of the old saying that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger thank you for that I consider Huston my second home so I want to say something to the people of Houston you stood me you stood by me in a good and bad scene bad times you gave me strength to move forward I will always consider you my family I'm a Texan and the Houston Rockets for life all this war will not be possible without a vision of Jerry stone and an MBA thank you to Darius Davison and Adams / Kim Bologna and everyone at the MBA for your kindness and support finally to my team Yong Eric bill Daffy Sanders in the casing Larry gown and Lou how we all looks older and fatter than our first night ladies and gentlemen I'd like to pay my respect to dr. Naismith and to all those 361 previous the member of the Hall of Fame and to everyone who has contributed to the game of basketball all over the world in last 125 years all of these individuals and stars individuals and our stars and together they are formed a legacy they have to pay for sorry for my English apart all of them are stars in started all these individual are stars and together they formed galaxies in the university of a basketball the game has inspired a building of the people around war as one of them I would do my part to continue to go the great game of the basketball and we're all looking forward to see the stars of tomorrow emerge and shine thank you again for this great honor thank you [Applause] you

Channel: OfficialHoophall

Views: 1,771,324

Rating: 4.9433002 out of 5

Keywords: Yao Ming, Basketball, NBA, Chinese Basketball, Houston Rockets, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Id: iHt5pCHgsdk

Length: 14min 35sec (875 seconds)

Published: Fri Sep 09 2016

Reddit Comments

[u/Mikehtx]

CONGRATS YAO!

His speech is amazing! I felt the love when he shouts out Houston and its people.

[u/poptamale]

Classy as fuck...love that guy.

Nothing made me more proud than seeing how much heart he had during the playoffs when he injured himself and was trying to force his way back to the court through his trainers and they kept having to turn him around. He did not want to leave his team hanging.

[u/[deleted]]

Damm shame injuries cut his career short. Could have been one of the GOAT.

[u/BigDummy666]

We love Yao Ming -All the sharks that still got fins

[u/JAMESDALTONSFIST]

Yo!

[u/MisallocatedRacism]

The man that drew a billion eyes..