By Mark Berman
FOX 26

HOUSTON — Former Houston Rockets center Yao Ming may be headed to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., a lot sooner that anyone thought.

Players can only make the Hall of Fame after a minimum waiting period of five years after they retire, but to be selected in the category of contributor, candidates become eligible immediately.

According to John Doleva, president/CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame, it’s through that avenue that Yao is eligible for the 2012 class.

“The category that Mr. Yao would have to be nominated in would be contributor, and by our rules a contributor can be nominated at any time for significant contributions to the game,” Doleva said.

“I think the discussion about Mr. Yao as a contributor is as a player in China, a player in the U.S. and really as a spokesperson for the game globally and clearly in China — really, really ramping up the desire about basketball in China.

“I think the reality is he’s a very significant candidate [and] should he be nominated as a contributor for 2012.”

Yao retired last month because of injuries, ending his nine-year career with the Rockets that saw him selected for eight NBA All-Star Games.

Doleva said Yao would have to be formally nominated and go through the process just like any other candidate.

“I’m not a voter,” Doleva said. “I administer the process. We have very qualified people that are knowledgeable, and specifically this case it would be through the international committee, because of his worldwide presence.

“What he’s done in the U.S., what he’s done in China and what he’s done to build interest in basketball on a worldwide basis, kind of opening that door in a big way, makes him a viable candidate in 2012 as a contributor.”

Yahoo! Sports’ report that Yao Ming is retiring left saddened
Chinese basketball fans in disbelief.

Thousands of fans flooded online forums on Saturday reacting to
the news. One wrote: “He’s China’s top athlete…it’s a pity to
lose such a sports icon.”

Other fans like Liu Kan, a 28-year-old security guard in central
Beijing, said Chinese fans should thank the 7-foot-6 Yao for
bringing a sense of pride to Chinese sports.

“His retirement will be a huge loss for China since he’s one of
our biggest stars,” Liu said. “The news still hasn’t sunk in, so I
‘m in denial until he officially announces his retirement.”

China’s most popular online portals, sina.com and sohu.com,
headlined the news of Yao’s possible retirement prominently on
their homepages.

“Declaring the end of a Yao era,” said the headline of a
sohu.com story.

Over the past nine seasons with the Houston Rockets, Yao has
taken on the status of a national icon in China. He almost
single-handedly expanded the NBA’s reach throughout Asia, spiking
merchandise sales and TV ratings for games after the Rockets made
him the top overall pick in the 2002 draft.

Yao, who turns 31 in September, has been plagued by leg and foot
injuries, missing 250 regular-season games over the past six
seasons.

Despite the shock, some Chinese fans felt it was time for the
country next generation of sports stars to emerge.

“It’s not healthy to put so much hope on one player and China is
capable of producing more talent in the coming years,” said Wang,
who works at an insurance company in Beijing. “As a fan, I’m sad to
hear he is leaving, but this is probably for the best.”

China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported Yao is expected to
hold a news conference on July 20 to announce his plans.

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.