Yao asks Hall of Fame to delay his nomination

[fairweatherfan]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/6913115/yao-ming-asks-basketball-hall-fame-put-nomination-hold

"He (Yao's agent) indicated that Yao has great respect for the institution and equal respect for those elected before his consideration. He just feels that it's too soon to be considered as a contributor."

What a class act.  It's a shame his body couldn't hold up to the rigors of the game.

[ACF]

Way to go, Yao. I love ball players that check their egos at the door.

[ManUp]

Just a thought but, maybe he's thinking of coming back...

[PierceMVP08]

Just a thought but, maybe he's thinking of coming back...

TP!  Beat me to the punch... Was gonna say the same exact thing.

[Edgar]

I never liked him as a player but I certainly respect him as a human specially after this. It doesnt matter if he plans to come back or not, its a class act.

[mgent]

Does he really deserve it?  At his peak he was a good defender and heck of a player, but that was what?  3-4 years?

I know what he did for international ball, and maybe in a few years my opinion will change, but fresh off an early retirement isn't the time to be put in the Hall.  Smart move Yao.

[Moranis]

Does he really deserve it?  At his peak he was a good defender and heck of a player, but that was what?  3-4 years?

its as a contributor and for what he did with respect to Chinese basketball, he is almost guaranteed to get in.

Remember this is a basketball HOF, not a NBA HOF.

[mgent]

Does he really deserve it?  At his peak he was a good defender and heck of a player, but that was what?  3-4 years?

its as a contributor and for what he did with respect to Chinese basketball, he is almost guaranteed to get in.

Remember this is a basketball HOF, not a NBA HOF.

I get that, but from a player accomplishment perspective there are plenty of guys who deserve it first.

[Roy H.]

Does he really deserve it?  At his peak he was a good defender and heck of a player, but that was what?  3-4 years?

its as a contributor and for what he did with respect to Chinese basketball, he is almost guaranteed to get in.

Remember this is a basketball HOF, not a NBA HOF.

I get that, but from a player accomplishment perspective there are plenty of guys who deserve it first.

Agreed that as a player, he belongs far below a few other guys waiting to get in.

In terms of being a "contributor", though, I can't think of a guy who deserves to be in more than he does.

[slamtheking]

Does he really deserve it?  At his peak he was a good defender and heck of a player, but that was what?  3-4 years?

its as a contributor and for what he did with respect to Chinese basketball, he is almost guaranteed to get in.

Remember this is a basketball HOF, not a NBA HOF.

I get that, but from a player accomplishment perspective there are plenty of guys who deserve it first.

Agreed that as a player, he belongs far below a few other guys waiting to get in.

In terms of being a "contributor", though, I can't think of a guy who deserves to be in more than he does.

Using that thought as a springboard for discussion rather than an argument, I'd offer Manute Bol and Dikembe Mutombo as higher on the 'contributor' list due to their usage of their fame and NBA earnings to try to improve living conditions in their respective homelands.  Yao may have gotten the Chinese to take notice of basketball but Manute and Dikembe did far more in terms of using their NBA careers as tools for humanitarian work.

[PosImpos]

Does he really deserve it?  At his peak he was a good defender and heck of a player, but that was what?  3-4 years?

its as a contributor and for what he did with respect to Chinese basketball, he is almost guaranteed to get in.

Remember this is a basketball HOF, not a NBA HOF.

I get that, but from a player accomplishment perspective there are plenty of guys who deserve it first.

Agreed that as a player, he belongs far below a few other guys waiting to get in.

In terms of being a "contributor", though, I can't think of a guy who deserves to be in more than he does.

Using that thought as a springboard for discussion rather than an argument, I'd offer Manute Bol and Dikembe Mutombo as higher on the 'contributor' list due to their usage of their fame and NBA earnings to try to improve living conditions in their respective homelands.  Yao may have gotten the Chinese to take notice of basketball but Manute and Dikembe did far more in terms of using their NBA careers as tools for humanitarian work.

And just on the merits of their play on the court, Dikembe totally deserves to get into the HoF ahead of Yao.

[xmuscularghandix]

Does he really deserve it?  At his peak he was a good defender and heck of a player, but that was what?  3-4 years?

its as a contributor and for what he did with respect to Chinese basketball, he is almost guaranteed to get in.

Remember this is a basketball HOF, not a NBA HOF.

I get that, but from a player accomplishment perspective there are plenty of guys who deserve it first.

Agreed that as a player, he belongs far below a few other guys waiting to get in.

In terms of being a "contributor", though, I can't think of a guy who deserves to be in more than he does.

Using that thought as a springboard for discussion rather than an argument, I'd offer Manute Bol and Dikembe Mutombo as higher on the 'contributor' list due to their usage of their fame and NBA earnings to try to improve living conditions in their respective homelands.  Yao may have gotten the Chinese to take notice of basketball but Manute and Dikembe did far more in terms of using their NBA careers as tools for humanitarian work.

And just on the merits of their play on the court, Dikembe totally deserves to get into the HoF ahead of Yao.

I'd like to see Dikembe get in first, then Dikembe could welcome in Yao.

[Eja117]

I never liked him as a player but I certainly respect him as a human specially after this. It doesnt matter if he plans to come back or not, its a class act.

I sometimes wished he had done a little more as a force for human rights and whatnot, but that wasn't his job. He clearly did a good job at what he did.  I was glad he was in the game. He just got hurt way too much. I hope everything works out for him. I kinda want to eat in his restaurant, but I'm not sure when that could happen.

[RockinRyA]

Does he really deserve it?  At his peak he was a good defender and heck of a player, but that was what?  3-4 years?

its as a contributor and for what he did with respect to Chinese basketball, he is almost guaranteed to get in.

Remember this is a basketball HOF, not a NBA HOF.

I get that, but from a player accomplishment perspective there are plenty of guys who deserve it first.

Agreed that as a player, he belongs far below a few other guys waiting to get in.

In terms of being a "contributor", though, I can't think of a guy who deserves to be in more than he does.

Using that thought as a springboard for discussion rather than an argument, I'd offer Manute Bol and Dikembe Mutombo as higher on the 'contributor' list due to their usage of their fame and NBA earnings to try to improve living conditions in their respective homelands.  Yao may have gotten the Chinese to take notice of basketball but Manute and Dikembe did far more in terms of using their NBA careers as tools for humanitarian work.

Maybe because the "contributions" has to be about basketball and not humanitarian? It is Basketball HOF afterall and not Nobel Peace prize or what.

Maybe US fans don't feel it that much, but for us Asians, Yao is like our basketball ambassador.

Some say that several people in the HOF are undeserving of their spot, but we have to consider their impacts to basketball other than their stats or achievements.

Well, I certainly feel like Deke should be there (esp before Yao), Manute Bol? Not so much.

[greenpride32]

Using that thought as a springboard for discussion rather than an argument, I'd offer Manute Bol and Dikembe Mutombo as higher on the 'contributor' list due to their usage of their fame and NBA earnings to try to improve living conditions in their respective homelands. 

They certainly deserve praise for their humanitarian efforts, but that has nothing to do with the game of basketball.  I know Yao donated significant sums of money to the earthquake recovery efforts a couple of years back, so he's involved in the community as well.  But it's what he did for the sport of basketball that will earn him a nod in the HOF, not what he did outside of basketball.