Basketball: Yao Ming
True fans of the NBA are no strangers to Chinese import Yao Ming, who figured in the sport prominently not just for this stature but also for his talent on the hardcourt. Yao is 7’6” and played as a center for the Houston Rockets.
He was just towering and intimidating, he was also a very good player. He was awarded MVP in 2001 and champion in 2002, before being handpicked to be part of All-Stars in eight of the nine seasons that he stayed with the league. Later, however, a slew of foot and ankle injuries had disabled him from performing, thus forcing him to go into retirement early.