"The CBA is far from a fully developed professional league compared to the NBA. In this system, we can't produce stars with the same international influence as Yao. He is just a unique case," Li says.

Ma Guoli, CEO and managing director of Infront China, which operates the CBA and the national teams' marketing programs, echos Li.

"Nobody can emulate Yao's impact in 10 years," Ma says. "There's never been anyone like him before and I doubt we'll ever see anyone like him again in the next decade."

Ma was chief of China Central Television's sports channel 1993-2005.

"He was already a larger-than-life national hero in China. And that status came from a perfect combination of born gifts, intelligence, Chinese-Western nurturing and even good timing. It's hard to be duplicated," Ma tells China Daily.

Ma, a renowned figure in Chinese sports, hailed Yao's role as an international ambassador, and said it was akin to one of the sport's all-time icons, Michael Jordan.

"Jordan's retirement left the void of a true leader in the NBA, and that will happen in China after Yao's departure. The Americans haven't found the next Jordan. We will also struggle to see another Yao," Ma says.

During a TV interview two months ago, even Yao admitted his route to success couldn't be copied due to his rare physical attributes.

According to a poll on China Daily's website, 73 percent of the respondents didn't believe "there

is someone from the serving national team that could take on Yao's role".

Li says Yao excelled at each level of the game, which made it difficult for others to receive the torch.

He triggered massive interest in the sport here while averaging 19 points and 9.2 rebounds per NBA game, which won him eight NBA all-star appearances.

Meanwhile, former NBA players including Stephon Marbury, Quincy Douby and Steve Francis came to China and play in the CBA.

Current NBA stars such as Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard are considering joining the league due to the NBA lockout.

"It is Yao who makes the kids in China like basketball and makes them know how a real professional basketball player should be. It's also him who promotes the CBA's profile abroad," said Xu Jicheng, a popular basketball commentator.

Off the court, Yao performs for charity and is a businessman.