June 2002

The Houston Rockets select Yao with the first pick of the draft, making him the first international player ever to be selected first overall without having previously played US college basketball.

 

Nov 2002

Before the season, several commentators, including Bill Simmons and Dick Vitale, predict that Yao will fail in the NBA. Charles Barkley said he will kiss fellow commentator Kenny Smith's ass if Yao scores more than 19 points in one of his rookie-season games. On Nov 17, he scores 20 points on a perfect 9-of-9 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line against the LA Lakers. Barkley makes good on his bet by kissing the buttock of a donkey purchased by Smith for the occasion.

 

Jan 2003

Yao has first on-court meeting with Shaquille O'Neal. Yao scores 6 points and blocks O'Neal twice in the opening minutes, and makes a game-sealing dunk with 10 seconds left in overtime to beat the Lakers. Yao finishes with 10 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks; O'Neal records 31 points and 13 rebounds.

Feb 2004

Yao has a career-high 41 points and seven assists in a triple-overtime win against the Atlanta Hawks.

Feb 2005

Both Tracy McGrady and Yao are voted to start in the 2005 NBA All-Star Game, and Yao breaks the record previously held by Michael Jordan for most All-Star votes, with 2,558,278.

Dec 2005

Yao undergoes his first major surgery of an injury-plagued career. After missing only two games out of 246 in his first three years of NBA play, Yao endures an extended period on the inactive list in his fourth season after developing osteomyelitis in the big toe of his left foot. Surgery is performed on the toe on Dec 18.

2005-06 season

His final averages in 57 games are 22.3 points and 10.2 rebounds a game. It is the first time he ends a season with a 20/10 average.

April 2006

With only four games left in the season, Yao suffers another injury in a game against the Utah Jazz , on April 10, which leaves him with a broken bone in his left foot. The injury requires six months of rest.

Dec 2006

Yao is injured again, this time breaking his right knee on Dec 23, while attempting to block a shot. Yao is unable to play in what would have been his fifth All-Star Game. He is medically cleared to play on March 4, 2007, after missing 34 games.

 

Aug 2007

On Aug 6, Yao marries Ye Li in a ceremony attended by close friends and family.

Nov 2007

On Nov 9, Yao plays against fellow Chinese NBA and Milwaukee Bucks player Yi Jianlian for the first time. The game, which the Rockets win 104-88, is broadcast on 19 networks in China and is watched by more than 200 million people in China, making it one of the most-watched NBA games in history.

Feb 2008

Yao is injured again and misses the rest of the season with a stress fracture of his left foot. He also misses the 2008 NBA playoffs.

Aug 2008

Yao comes back in time to become the Chinese Olympic delegation's flagbearer and then leads the country to an eighth-place finish at the Beijing Games.

May 2009

The Rockets win all of their games in Houston and advance to the second round of the playoffs on May 1 for the first time since 1997 and the first time in Yao's career.

May 2009

Yao is diagnosed with a sprained ankle in Game 3 of the second round playoffs against the Lakers on May 10. A follow-up test reveals a hairline fracture in his left foot, and he is ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs. He will not play the entire 2009-10 season.

July 2009

On July 16, Yao buys his former club team, the Shanghai Sharks, which was on the verge of not being able to play the next season of the Chinese Basketball Association due to financial troubles.

May 2010

On May 21, Yao and his wife's first child, a daughter named Qinlei (also called Amy) is born in Houston.

Dec 2010

Yao appears fully fit and plays limited time in the 2010-11 season, but it is announced on Dec 16 that he has a stress fracture in his left ankle, related to a former injury. He will miss the rest of the season.