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Yao Ming Trivia Questions

How much do you really know about Yao Ming? Below are 8 true or false statements. Click each one to reveal the answer and explanation.

1.

Yao Ming's parents were both professional basketball players in China.

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Easy
✓ TRUE

His father, Yao Zhiyuan, played for the Shanghai team, and his mother, Fang Fengdi, was a star center for the Chinese national team.

2.

Yao Ming was the tallest player in NBA history at 7 feet 6 inches.

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Easy
✗ FALSE

Several players were taller, including Gheorghe Mureșan (7'7") and Manute Bol (7'7"). Yao was tied for third-tallest with Shawn Bradley.

3.

Yao Ming never played a single NBA game until he was 22 years old.

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Medium
✓ TRUE

Yao was drafted in 2002 at age 22. He played for the Shanghai Sharks before entering the NBA, making his debut at 22.

4.

Yao Ming was the first international player to be drafted first overall in the NBA.

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Medium
✗ FALSE

The first international No. 1 pick was Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria) in 1984. Yao was the first international player without U.S. college experience.

5.

Yao Ming's shoe size was so large that Nike refused to make custom shoes for him.

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Medium
✓ TRUE

Yao wore a size 18 shoe. Nike declined to produce his size early in his career, so Reebok signed him and made custom shoes instead.

6.

Yao Ming once donated over $2 million to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic in China.

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Medium
✓ TRUE

In 2020, Yao's foundation donated medical supplies and funds worth over $2 million to support hospitals and communities in China during the outbreak.

7.

Yao Ming once played an entire NBA season without missing a single free throw.

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Hard
✗ FALSE

Yao's best free throw percentage was 86.6% in 2007-2008. He never shot 100% for a season; no NBA player has over that many attempts.

8.

Yao Ming once hit a game-winning three-pointer in the playoffs.

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Hard
✗ FALSE

Yao attempted only 10 three-pointers in his entire playoff career, making none. He never hit a game-winner from beyond the arc.

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