The PowerBook is a line of Macintosh laptop computers that was designed, manufactured and sold by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1991 to 2006. During its lifetime, the PowerBook went through several major revisions and redesigns, often being the first to incorporate features that would later become standard in competing laptops.^[1] The PowerBook line was targeted at the professional market, and received numerous awards, especially in the second half of its life, such as the 2001 Industrial Design Excellence Awards "Gold" status, and Engadget's 2005 "Laptop of the Year". In 1999, the line was supplemented by the low-end iBook range. The PowerBook and iBook lines were discontinued and replaced by the MacBook Pro and MacBook families respectively by 2006.

History[link]

In September 1989, Apple Inc. released the Macintosh Portable, the first Macintosh computer intended to be easily portable. However, its price ($6500), size, and weight made actual portability nearly impossible. Because of this, the demand for a true portable Macintosh was not met.

Early models[link]

PowerBook 100 series[link]

The PowerBook 150

In October 1991 Apple released the first three PowerBooks: the low-end PowerBook 100, the more powerful PowerBook 140, and the high end PowerBook 170, the only one with an active matrix display. These machines caused a stir in the industry with their compact dark grey cases, built-in trackball, and the clever positioning of the keyboard which left room for palmrests on either side of the pointing device. Portable PC computers at the time were still oriented toward DOS, and tended to have the keyboard forward towards the user, with empty space behind it, so this was a surprising innovation and set the standard layout all future notebook computers would follow.

The PowerBook 140 and 170 were the original PowerBook designs, while the PowerBook 100 was the result of Apple having sent the schematics of the Mac Portable to Sony, who miniaturized the components. Hence the PowerBook 100's design does not match those of the rest of the series, as it was actually designed after the 140 & 170 and further benefited from improvements learned during their development. The PowerBook 100, however, did not sell well until Apple dropped the price substantially.

The 100 series PowerBooks were intended to tie into the rest of the Apple desktop products utilizing the corporate Snow White design language incorporated into all product designs since 1986. However, unlike the Macintosh Portable which was essentially a battery powered desktop in weight and size, the light colors and decorative recessed lines did not seem appropriate for the scaled down designs. In addition to adopting the darker grey colour scheme which co-ordinated with the official corporate look, they also adopted a raised series of ridges mimicking the indented lines on the desktops. The innovative look not only unified their entire product line, but set Apple apart in the marketplace. These early series would be the last to utilize the aging Snow White look, with the 190 adopting a new look along with the introduction of the 500 series. ^[2]

The first series of PowerBooks were hugely successful, capturing 40% of all laptop sales. Despite this, the original team left to work at Compaq,^[3] setting back updated versions for some time.^{[citation needed]} When attempting to increase processing power, Apple was hampered by the overheating problems of the 68040; this resulted in the 100-series PowerBook being stuck with the aging 68030 which could not compete with newer-generation Intel 80486-based PC laptops introduced in 1994. For several years, new PowerBook and PowerBook Duo computers were introduced which featured incremental improvements, including color screens, but by mid-decade, most other companies had copied the majority of the PowerBook's features, and Apple was unable to regain their lead.

The original PowerBook 100, 140, and 170 were replaced by the 145 (updated to the 145B in 1993), 160, and 180 in 1992. The 160 and 180 having video output allowing them to drive an external monitor. In addition, the PowerBook 180 had a superb-for-the-time active-matrix grayscale display, making it popular with the Mac press. In 1993, the PowerBook 165c was the first PowerBook with a color screen, later followed by the 180c. In 1994, the last true member of the 100-series form factor introduced was the PowerBook 150, targeted at value-minded consumers and students. The PowerBook 190, released in 1995, bears no resemblance to the rest of the PowerBook 100 series, and is in fact simply a Motorola 68LC040-based version of the PowerBook 5300 (and the last Macintosh model to utilize a Motorola 68k-family processor). However, like the 190, the 150 also used the 5300 IDE-based logic-board architecture. From the 100's 68000 processor, to the 190's 68LC040 processor, the 100 series PowerBooks span the entire Apple 68K line, with the 190 even upgradable to a PowerPC processor. The PowerBook Duo spanned the 68030 line of processors and sold through the PowerPC transition to the G3 processor with the 2300, also based on the 5300's internal architecture.

PowerBook Duo[link]

In 1992 Apple released a hybrid portable/desktop computer, the PowerBook Duo, continuing to streamline the subnotebook features introduced with the PowerBook 100. The Duos were a series of very thin and lightweight laptops with a minimum of features, which could be inserted into a docking station to provide the system with extra video memory, storage space, connectors, and could be connected to a monitor. Despite being seen on Seinfeld, the model did not sell as well as expected, although several companies have since adapted the design.

PowerBook 500 series[link]

The PowerBook 540c

1994 saw the introduction of the Motorola 68LC040-based PowerBook 500 series, code-named Blackbird. These models of PowerBooks were much sleeker and faster than the 100 series, which they replaced as the mid and high-end models. The 500 series featured DSTN (520) or active-matrix LCD displays (540 and 550), stereo speakers, and was the first computer to use a trackpad (although a similar technology had been included on the pioneering Gavilan SC 11 years earlier); it was also the first portable computer to offer built-in Ethernet networking. The PowerBook 500 series was the mainstay of the product line until the PowerBook 5300. The 500 series was the first PowerBook to feature PCMCIA slots, although this was an optional feature which required the user to sacrifice one of the two available battery slots to house the PCMCIA expansion cage.

The PowerBook 500 series was released as Apple was already moving its desktop machines to the PowerPC processor range, and a future upgrade was promised from the start. This came in 1995, as an Apple Motherboard containing a 100 MHz 603e processor and 8 MB of RAM (which snapped into a slot containing the previous 25 or 33 MHz 68040 processor and the 4 MB of RAM on the previous daughterboard). At the same time Newer Technology offered an Apple-authorized 117 MHz Motherboard, which was more popular than the Apple product, and optionally came without any RAM. The company later offered 167 MHz and 183 MHz upgrades containing more memory and onboard cache memory to improve performance. However, the internal architecture of the 500 series meant that the speed increase provided by the 100 and 117 MHz upgrades was, for most users, relatively small.

The 500 series was completely discontinued upon the introduction of its replacement the PPC-based PowerBook 5300, with the low-end (but upgradable) PowerBook 190 replacing the 500's role as the only 68LC040 PowerBook Apple offered.

PowerPC-Based PowerBooks[link]

The PowerBook 1400cs

The PowerBook 5300, while highly anticipated as one of the first PowerPC-based PowerBooks (along with the PowerBook Duo 2300c, both released on the same day), had numerous problems. In its 5300ce incarnation with a TFT of 800x600 pixels, Apple offered a 117 MHz PPC, 32 MB of on-board RAM, and a hot-swappable drive bay. With all of these features, though, the 5300ce was quite ahead of other laptop models at the time. Multiple problems with reliability, stability and safety (by some, the model was referred as the "HindenBook" because the lithium ion batteries used actually burst into flame in Apple tests, necessitating a recall and downgrade to nickel metal hydride batteries) were present in the early 5300s. These drawbacks by far failed to meet the quality standard expected for the price. After Apple offered an Extended Repair Program, the series turned into a remarkably attractive machine, but never lost its bad reputation. The bad publicity of 5300 series added to the woes of "beleagured Apple" during the mid 1990s.

Apple recovered from the 5300 debacle in 1996 and 1997 by introducing three new PowerBooks: the PowerBook 1400, intended to replace the 5300 as a general-purpose PowerBook; the PowerBook 2400, intended as a slim, sleek sub-notebook to replace the PowerBook Duo; and the luxury model PowerBook 3400. The PowerBook 1400 and 3400 were in fact the first PowerBooks ever to include an internal CD drive, and were introduced in a time when laptops rarely had one. Again, other laptop manufacturers quickly followed Apple's lead. Late in 1997, the PowerBook 3400 was adapted into the first PowerBook G3, codenamed the Kanga. This series was the last PowerBook model to employ a "real" keyboard with 1 cm high keys; all later models have flat keys.

PowerBook G3[link]

A Wallstreet Powerbook G3

The first PowerBook G3 Series (completely redesigned from the Kanga) was released in 1998, although it was still an Old World ROM Mac. These new PowerBooks took design cues from the 500 series PowerBook, sporting dramatic curves and a jet-black plastic case. They were so fashionable that various G3 models became the personal computer of Carrie Bradshaw in the long-running Sex and the City television show.^[4] Debuting at roughly the same time as the G3 iMac, the "WallStreet/Mainstreet" series composed of models with varying features, such as different processing speeds (from 233 to 300 MHz) and the choice of 12-, 13-, or 14-inch screens. They all included dual drive bays capable of accommodating floppy drives, CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drives, hard drives, or even extra batteries. A second PowerBook G3 Series code-named "PDQ" was introduced later in 1998, with minor changes in configuration options, notably the inclusion of L2 cache in even the lowest-priced 233 MHz model, which helped overall performance.

Apple introduced two later G3 PowerBook models, similar in appearance (curved, black plastic case with black rubberized sections) but thinner, lighter and with revised internal systems. The "Lombard" appeared in 1999, (AKA: Bronze Keyboard) a thinner, lighter, and faster (333 or 400 MHz) PowerBook with a longer battery life and had both USB and SCSI built in and was a New World ROM Mac, and then the "Pismo" in 2000, which replaced the single SCSI port with two FireWire ports, updated the PowerBook line to AGP graphics, a 100 MHz bus speed, and DVD-ROM optical drives standard, in addition to dropping the "G3" from the PowerBook name. The Pismo revision also brought AirPort wireless networking capability (802.11b), which had debuted in Apple's iBook in July 1999. CPU upgrade cards are available for both Lombard and Pismo models.

PowerBook G4[link]

Interim CEO Steve Jobs turned his eye to the redesign of the PowerBook series in 2000. The result, introduced in January 2001, was a completely re-designed New World PowerBook with a titanium skin and a 15.2-inch wide-aspect screen suitable for watching widescreen movies. Built with the PowerPC G4 processor, it was billed as "the first supercomputer you can actually take with you on an airplane."^[5] It was lighter than most PC based laptops, and due to the low power consumption of the PowerPC it outlasted them by hours.

The TiBooks, as they were nicknamed,^[6] became a fashion item. They were especially popular in the entertainment business, where they adorned many desks in Hollywood motion pictures.^[7] Because of their large screens and high performance, Titanium Powerbooks were the first laptops to be widely deployed as desktop replacement computers.^{[citation needed]}

The industrial design of the notebooks quickly became a standard that others in the industry would follow, creating a new wave of wide-screened notebook computers.

The Titanium PowerBooks were released in configurations of 400 MHz, 500 MHz, 550 MHz, 667 MHz, 800 MHz, 867 MHz, and 1 GHz. They are the last PowerBooks able to boot MacOS 9.

In 2003, Apple launched both the largest-screen laptop in the world and Apple's smallest full-featured notebook computer. Both machines were made of anodized aluminum (coining the new nickname AlBook), featured DVD-burning capabilities, AirPort Extreme networking, Bluetooth, and 12.1-inch or 17-inch LCD displays. The 17-inch model included a fiber optic-illuminated keyboard, which eventually became standard on all 15-inch and 17-inch PowerBooks. Two ambient light sensors, located under each speaker grille, adjusted the brightness of the backlit keyboard and the display according to the light level.

The final PowerBook that was produced by Apple before the MacBook Pro

The 12-inch PowerBook's screen did not use the same panel as that used on the 12-inch iBook, while the 17-inch PowerBook used the same screen as that used on the 17-inch flat-panel iMac, but with a thinner backlight.

Later in 2003, the 15-inch PowerBooks were redesigned and featured the same aluminum body style as their smaller and larger siblings, and with the same feature set as the 17-inch model (including the backlit keyboard). This basic design would carry through the transition to the Intel-based MacBook Pro, lasting until late 2008.

In April, 2004, the aluminum PowerBooks were upgraded. The SuperDrive was upgraded to 4× burning speed for DVDs, the fastest processor available was upgraded to 1.5 GHz, and the graphics cards were replaced with newer models, offering up to 128 MB of video memory. A third built-in speaker was added to the 12-inch model for improved midrange sound. In addition, AirPort Extreme cards became standard for all PowerBooks instead of being offered as an add-on option.

In January, 2005, the specifications of the aluminum PowerBooks were revised once more to accompany a price decrease. Processor speeds were increased to a maximum of 1.67 GHz on the higher specification 15-inch and all 17-inch versions, while the lower specification 15-inch model and the 12-inch unit saw an increase in speed to 1.5 GHz. Optical audio output was added to the 17-inch version. Memory and hard drive defaults were increased to 512 MB and 5400 rpm, respectively, with a new storage maximum of 100 GB on the 17-inch model. Each model also received an enhanced trackpad with scrolling capabilities, a revised Bluetooth module supporting BT 2.0+EDR, and a new feature which parks the drive heads when sudden motion is detected by an internal sensor. Support for the 30-inch Apple Cinema display was also introduced in the new 17-inch model and was optional in the 15-inch model via a build-to-order upgrade to the computer's video hardware. The SuperDrive now included DVD+R capability.

In October, 2005, the two higher-end PowerBooks were upgraded once again, with higher-resolution displays (1440 × 960 pixels on the 15-inch model, and 1680 × 1050 pixels on the 17-inch model) and faster 533 MHz DDR2 (PC2-4200) memory. The SuperDrive became standard equipment and included support for dual-layer DVDs on the 15- and 17-inch models. The 17-inch model was updated with a 120 GB standard hard drive, as well as a 7200 rpm, 100 GB build-to-order option. These drives were also options on the 15-inch PowerBook. The 12-inch model with SuperDrive remained unchanged in this respect, although each new PowerBook boasted a longer battery life.

Battery recall[link]

Model and serial number location on PowerBook battery

On May 20, 2005, Apple and the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of some Apple PowerBook G4 batteries. The joint Apple/CPSC press release stated that an internal short could cause the battery cells to overheat, posing a fire hazard.^[8] Approximately 128,000 defective units were sold.

Though the problems first appeared to be solved, they continued for many users. In early August 2006, Engadget reported that a PowerBook had "violently exploded" because of faulty battery.^[9] On August 24, 2006, Apple and the CPSC announced an additional recall of more batteries for the same PowerBook models.^[10]

About 1.1 million battery packs in the United States are being recalled; an additional 700,000 were sold outside the U.S.

These batteries were manufactured by Sony. Sony, Dell, Toshiba, Lenovo, HP, Fujitsu and Acer laptops were also affected by the defective batteries.

Discontinuation[link]

At the 2006 Macworld Conference & Expo, the MacBook Pro was introduced. The new notebooks, however, only came in 15.4-inch models and the 12-inch and 17-inch PowerBooks remained available for sale at Apple stores and retailers, as well as the 15-inch model, which was sold until supplies ran out. On April 24, 2006 the 17-inch PowerBook G4 was replaced by a 17-inch MacBook Pro variant. The 12-inch PowerBook G4 remained available until May 16, 2006, when the MacBook was introduced as a replacement for the iBook. Because of its availability in highly powerful configurations, it was also considered a replacement for the 12-inch PowerBook, ending the nearly 15-year production of PowerBook-branded computers.

Timeline of portable Macintoshes

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    id:100       value:rgb(0.85,0.85,1)
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    id:500    value:rgb(0.6,0.9,1) legend:PowerBook_500_series
    id:ppc    value:rgb(1,0.85,0.85) legend:PowerBook_(PowerPC)
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    id:ibg3a      value:rgb(0.75,1,0.75) legend:iBook_(PowerPC_G3)
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    id:mba        value:rgb(0.7,0.6,1) legend:MacBook_Air
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    id:iphone value:rgb(0.7,0.7,0.7) legend:iPhone
    id:iphone3g value:rgb(0.75,0.7,0.7)
    id:iphone3gs value:rgb(0.8,0.7,0.7)
    id:iphone4 value:rgb(0.85,0.7,0.7)
    id:pda value:rgb(0.7,0.7,0.8) legend:PDAs/Slates/PADDs
    id:ipad value:rgb(0.7,0.7,0.85)
    id:ipad2 value:rgb(0.75,0.7,0.85)
    id:ipodtouch value:rgb(0.7,0.65,0.8)
    id:ipodtouch2 value:rgb(0.7,0.6,0.8)
    id:ipodtouch3 value:rgb(0.7,0.55,0.8)
    id:ipodtouch4 value:rgb(0.7,0.50,0.8)
    id:current    value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9) legend:Still_currently_produced
    id:current2    value:rgb(0.95,0.95,0.95)
    id:current3   value:rgb(0.97,0.97,0.97) legend:Reference_desktop_Macs/PDA

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Traditionally, the portable line trailed the desktops in the utilization of the latest processors, with the notable exception of the PowerBook G3 which occurred simultaneously with the desktop Power Macintosh G3 introduction. However, it would continue to trail behind the desktop Macs, never even adopting the G5 processor. This was due primarily to the extreme heat caused by most of the full-sized processors available and unacceptable power consumption.^{[citation needed]} With the introduction of the Intel-based Macs, once again, the MacBook Pro joined the iMac in sharing the new technology simultaneously.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: PowerBook

• Apple's PowerBook specifications - Specifications for G3 and later PowerBooks.
• Apple-History
• Apple press release announcing January 2005 PowerBook revisions

Verne Troyer
Verne Troyer, May 2007.
Born	(1969-01-01) January 1, 1969 (age 43) Sturgis, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation	Actor Stunt performer
Years active	1994–present
Spouse	Genevieve Gallen (2004; annulled)

Verne J. Troyer (born January 1, 1969) is an American actor and stunt performer. Troyer is notable for his height of 2 ft 8 in (0.81 m), the result of cartilage–hair hypoplasia dwarfism,^[1] making him one of the shortest men in the world. He is best known for playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers series of comedy films.

Personal life[link]

Verne Troyer attending the Kandy Masquerade party at the Playboy Mansion on 28 February 2009.

Troyer was born in Sturgis, Michigan, the son of Susan, a factory worker, and Reuben Troyer, a repair technician.^[2] He has two siblings, Davon and Deborah. He grew up in Centreville, Michigan and graduated from Centreville High School in 1987.

Troyer reportedly married model Genevieve Gallen on February 22, 2004 but filed for an annulment the next day. Though the couple's engagement was widely reported, Troyer and his attorney deny that the two ever had any formal wedding plans, saying that Gallen had fabricated the story for her own financial gain.^[3]

Sex tape scandal[link]

On June 25, 2008, a private home videotape was released which showed Troyer and his former live-in girlfriend Ranae Shrider having sex. The video, which had been made during the Easter Weekend of 2008 at Raffles L’Ermitage hotel,^[4] was leaked to the public by Shrider to TMZ.^[5] Kevin Blatt, the man responsible for brokering the deal for the Paris Hilton sex tape in 2003, tried to sell the video. Troyer sued TMZ, Blatt, and online rental company SugarDVD, for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement.

Filmography[link]

Verne Troyer at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International.

Television work[link]

• Masked Rider (1995–1996) (stunts for Paul Pistore)
• Shasta McNasty (1999–2000)
• Jack of All Trades (2000) – Napoleon Bonaparte
• Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (2002) – Angus
• Boston Public (2003) – Taylor Prentice (2 episodes)
• Karroll's Christmas (2004)
• The Girls Next Door (2005) - himself (episode "Fight Night")
• The Surreal Life (2005)
• Bo! in the USA (2006)
• The Surreal Life: Fame Games (2007)
• Welcome to Sweden (2007)
• Celebrity Juice (2008) - himself
• The Smoking Gun Presents: World's Dumbest... (2008) - commentator
• The Podge and Rodge Show (2008) - himself
• Celebrity Big Brother (2009) - himself
• Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (2009) - himself
• The Paul O'Grady Show (2009) - himself
• WWE Raw (2009) - guest host
• Celebrity Juice (2010) - himself

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Verne Troyer at the Internet Movie Database
• Verne Troyer interview on Movieset.com

This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters. Yao Ming 姚明 No. 11 Center Personal information Born (1980-09-12) September 12, 1980 (age 31) Shanghai, China Nationality Chinese Listed height 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) Listed weight 310 lb (141 kg) Career information NBA Draft 2002 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall Selected by the Houston Rockets Pro career 1997–2011 Career history 1997–2002 Shanghai Sharks (China) 2002–2011 Houston Rockets Career highlights and awards 8× NBA All-Star (2003–2009, 2011) 2× All-NBA Second Team (2007, 2009) 3× All-NBA Third Team (2004, 2006, 2008) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2003) CBA Finals Champion (2002) CBA Finals MVP (2002) 2002 FIBA World Championship All-Tournament Team 3× FIBA Asian Championship MVP (2001, 2003, 2005) Number 11 retired for the Shanghai Sharks Career statistics Points 9,247 (19.0 ppg) Assists 769 (1.6 apg) Rebounds 4,494 (9.2 rpg) Stats at Basketball-Reference.com Medal record Men's basketball Competitor for  China FIBA Asia Championship Gold 2001 Shanghai National team Gold 2003 Harbin National team Gold 2005 Doha National team Asian Games Silver 2002 Busan National team Yao Ming Traditional Chinese 姚明 Simplified Chinese 姚明 Hanyu Pinyin Yáo Míng Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Yáo Míng - IPA [jɑ̌ʊmǐŋ]

Yao Ming (born September 12, 1980) is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). At the time of his final season, he was the tallest active player in the NBA, at 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in).^[1]

Yao, who was born in Shanghai, started playing for the Shanghai Sharks as a teenager, and played on their senior team for five years in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), winning a championship in his final year. After negotiating with the CBA and the Sharks to secure his release, Yao was selected by the Houston Rockets as the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. Yao was selected to start for the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star Game eight times, and was named to the All-NBA Team five times. He reached the NBA Playoffs four times, and the Rockets won a first-round series in the 2009 postseason, their first playoff series victory since 1997. However, Yao missed 250 regular-season games due to foot and ankle injuries in his final six seasons.^[2]

He is one of China's best-known athletes, with sponsorships with several major companies. His rookie year in the NBA was the subject of a documentary film, The Year of the Yao, and he co-wrote, along with NBA analyst Ric Bucher, an autobiography titled Yao: A Life in Two Worlds.

Career in China[link]

Early life and CBA career[link]

Yao is the only child of 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) Yao Zhiyuan and 6 ft 3 in (1.90 m) Fang Fengdi,^[3] both of whom were former professional basketball players.^[4] At 11 pounds (5.0 kg), Yao weighed more than twice as much as the average Chinese newborn,^[5] and grew to be 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) by age ten.^[6] At that age, he was examined by sports doctors, who predicted he would grow to 7 feet 3 inches (2.20 m).^[6] He began playing basketball at age nine, and went to a junior sports school at the same age.^[7]

Yao first tried out for the Shanghai Sharks junior team of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) when he was 13 years old, and practiced for 10 hours a day to make the team.^[8] After playing with the junior team for four years, Yao joined the senior team of the Sharks at age 17, and averaged 10 points and 8 rebounds a game in his rookie season. However, his next season was cut short when he broke his foot for the second time in his career, which Yao said decreased his jumping ability by four to six inches (10 to 15 cm).^[9] The Sharks made the finals of the CBA in Yao’s third season and again the next year, but lost both times to the Bayi Rockets. When Wang Zhizhi left the Bayi Rockets to become the first NBA player from China the following year, the Sharks finally won their first CBA championship. During the playoffs in his final year with Shanghai, Yao averaged 38.9 points and 20.2 rebounds a game, while shooting 76.6% from the field,^[10] and made all 21 of his shots during one game in the finals.^[11]

Entering the NBA Draft[link]

Yao was pressured to enter the NBA Draft in 1999 by Li Yaomin, the deputy general manager of the Shanghai Sharks.^[5] Li also influenced Yao to sign a contract for Evergreen Sports Inc. to serve as his agent. The agreement entitled Evergreen to 33% of Yao's earnings,^[5] but the contract was later determined to be invalid.^[12]

When Yao decided to enter the 2002 NBA Draft, a group of advisers was formed that came to be known as "Team Yao". The team consisted of Yao’s negotiator, Erik Zhang; his NBA agent, Bill Duffy; his Chinese agent, Lu Hao; University of Chicago economics professor John Huizinga;^[13] and the vice president for marketing at BDA Sports Management, Bill Sanders.^[14] Yao was widely predicted to be picked number one overall.^[15][16][17] However, some teams were concerned about Yao's NBA eligibility due to uncertainty over whether the CBA would let Yao play in the United States.^[18]

Shortly after Wang Zhizhi refused to return to China to play for the national team and was subsequently banned from playing for China,^[19] the CBA stipulated that Yao would have to return to play for the national team.^[20] They also said they would not let him go to the United States unless the Houston Rockets would take him first overall.^[21] After assurances from Team Yao that the Rockets would draft Yao with their number one pick, the CBA gave permission on the morning of the draft for Yao to play in the U.S.^[22] When the Rockets selected Yao with the first pick of the draft, he became the first international player ever to be selected first overall without having previously played U.S. college basketball.^[23]

NBA career[link]

Initial years (2002–2005)[link]

Yao did not participate in the Rockets' pre-season training camp, instead playing for China in the 2002 FIBA World Championships.^[24] Before the season, several commentators, including Bill Simmons and Dick Vitale, predicted that Yao would fail in the NBA,^[25][26] and Charles Barkley said he would "kiss [Kenny Smith's] ass" if Yao scored more than 19 points in one of his rookie-season games.^[27] Yao played his first NBA game against the Indiana Pacers, scoring no points and grabbing two rebounds,^[28][29] and scored his first NBA basket against the Denver Nuggets.^[30] In his first seven games, he averaged only 14 minutes and 4 points, but on November 17, he scored 20 points on a perfect 9-of-9 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line against the Lakers.^[31] Barkley made good on his bet by kissing the buttock of a donkey purchased by Smith for the occasion (Smith's "ass").^[27]

In Yao's first game in Miami on December 16, 2002, the Heat passed out 8,000 fortune cookies, an Asian stereotype.^[32][33] Yao was not angry with the promotion because he was not familiar with American stereotypes of Chinese.^[34] In an earlier interview in 2000, Yao said he had never seen a fortune cookie in China. He guessed it must have been an American invention.^[35]

Before Yao’s first meeting with Shaquille O'Neal on January 17, 2003, O'Neal said, "Tell Yao Ming, Ching chong-yang-wah-ah-soh", prompting accusations of racism.^[34] O'Neal denied that his comments were racist, and said he was only joking.^[36] Yao also said he believed O'Neal was joking, but he said a lot of Asians would not see the humor.^[36][37] In the game, Yao scored six points and blocked O'Neal twice in the opening minutes, and made a game-sealing dunk with 10 seconds left in overtime.^[38] Yao finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 blocks; O'Neal recorded 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 0 blocks.^[39]

The NBA began offering All-Star ballots in three languages—English, Spanish and Chinese—for fan voting of the starters for the 2003 NBA All-Star Game.^[40] Yao was voted to start for the West over O'Neal, who was coming off three consecutive NBA Finals MVP Awards.^[41] Yao received nearly a quarter million more votes than O'Neal, and he became the first rookie to start in the All-Star Game since Grant Hill in 1995.^[42]

Yao prepares to shoot a free throw with John Stockton in the background

Yao finished his rookie season averaging 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game,^[43] and was second in the NBA Rookie of the Year Award voting to Amar'e Stoudemire,^[44] and a unanimous pick for the NBA All-Rookie First Team selection.^[3] He was also voted the Sporting News Rookie of the Year,^[45] and won the Laureus Newcomer of the Year award.^[46]

Before the start of Yao's sophomore season, Rockets' head coach Rudy Tomjanovich resigned due to health issues,^[47] and long-time New York Knicks head coach Jeff Van Gundy was brought in. After Van Gundy began focusing the offense on Yao,^[48] Yao averaged career highs in points and rebounds for the season, and had a career-high 41 points and 7 assists in a triple-overtime win against the Atlanta Hawks in February 2004.^[49] He was also voted to be the starting center for the Western Conference in the 2004 NBA All-Star Game for the second straight year.^[50] Yao finished the season averaging 17.5 points and 9.0 rebounds a game.^[43] The Rockets made the playoffs for the first time in Yao's career, claiming the seventh seed in the Western Conference. In the first round, however, the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated Houston in five games.^[51] Yao averaged 15.0 points and 7.4 rebounds in his first playoff series.^[43]

In the summer of 2004, the Rockets acquired Tracy McGrady from the Orlando Magic in a seven-player trade that also sent Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley to Orlando.^[52] Although Yao said that Francis and Mobley had "helped [him] in every way [his] first two seasons", he added, "I'm excited about playing with Tracy McGrady. He can do some amazing things."^[53] After the trade, it was predicted that the Rockets would be title contenders.^[52][54] Both McGrady and Yao were voted to start in the 2005 NBA All-Star Game, and Yao broke the record previously held by Michael Jordan for most All-Star votes, with 2,558,278 total votes.^[55] The Rockets won 51 games and finished fifth in the West, and made the playoffs for the second consecutive year, where they faced the Dallas Mavericks.^[56] The Rockets won the first two games in Dallas, and Yao made 13 of 14 shots in the second game, the best shooting performance in the playoffs in Rockets history.^[57] However the Rockets lost four of their last five games and lost Game 7 by 40 points, the largest Game 7 deficit in NBA history.^[58] Yao's final averages for the series were 21.4 points on 65% shooting and 7.7 rebounds.^[43]

Injury-plagued seasons (2005–2011)[link]

After missing only two games out of 246 in his first three years of NBA play,^[3] Yao endured an extended period on the inactive list in his fourth season after developing osteomyelitis in the big toe on his left foot, and surgery was performed on the toe on December 18, 2005.^[59] Despite missing 21 games while recovering,^[3] Yao again had the most fan votes to start the 2006 NBA All-Star Game.^[60]

In his fifth season, Yao averaged a career-high 25 points per game.

In 25 games after the All-Star break, Yao averaged 25.7 points and 11.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.7% from the field and 87.8% at the free-throw line.^[61] His final averages in 57 games were 22.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.^[43] It was the first time that he ended the season with a so-called "20/10" average. However, Tracy McGrady played only 47 games in the season, missing time because of back spasms.^[62] Yao and McGrady played only 31 games together,^[63] and the Rockets did not make the playoffs, winning only 34 games.^[64] With only four games left in the season, Yao suffered another injury in a game against the Utah Jazz on April 10, 2006, which left him with a broken bone in his left foot. The injury required six months of rest.^[65]

Early into his fifth season, Yao was injured again, this time breaking his right knee on December 23, 2006, while attempting to block a shot.^[66] Up to that point he had been averaging 26.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, and had been mentioned as an MVP candidate.^[67][68] Yao was unable to play in what would have been his fifth All-Star game;^[69] he was medically cleared to play on March 4, 2007, after missing 32 games.^[70]

Despite Yao's absence, the Rockets made the playoffs with the home court advantage against the Utah Jazz in the first round.^[71] The Rockets won the first two games, but then lost four of five games^[72] and were eliminated in Game 7 at home; Yao scored 29 points—15 in the fourth quarter.^[73] Although he averaged 25.1 points and 10.3 rebounds for the series, Yao said afterwards "I didn't do my job".^[74] At the end of the season, Yao was selected to the All-NBA Second Team for the first time in his career, after being selected to the All-NBA Third Team twice.^[75]

On May 18, 2007, only weeks after the Rockets were eliminated from the playoffs, Jeff Van Gundy was dismissed as head coach.^[76] Three days later, the Rockets signed former Sacramento Kings coach Rick Adelman,^[77] who was thought to focus more on offense than the defensive-minded Van Gundy.^[78][79]

Yao advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first and only time in his career in 2009.

On November 9, 2007, Yao played against fellow Chinese NBA and Milwaukee Bucks player Yi Jianlian for the first time. The game, which the Rockets won 104–88, was broadcast on 19 networks in China, and was watched by over 200 million people in China alone, making it one of the most-watched NBA games in history.^[80] In the 2008 NBA All-Star Game, Yao was once again voted to start at center for the Western Conference.^[81] Before the All-Star weekend, the Rockets had won eight straight games, and after the break, they took their win streak to 12 games. On February 26, 2008, however, it was reported that Yao would miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot. He missed the 2008 NBA Playoffs, but he did not miss the 2008 Summer Olympics at Beijing, China in August.^[82] After Yao's injury, the Rockets stretched their winning streak to 22 games, the second-longest in NBA history.^[83] Yao underwent a successful operation on March 3, which placed screws in his foot to strengthen the bone, and recovery time was estimated at four months.^[84] Yao's final averages in 55 games were 22.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks a game.^[43]

The next season, Yao played 77 games, his first full season since the 2004–05 season, and averaged 19.7 points and 9.9 rebounds, while shooting 54.8% from the field, and a career-high 86.6% from the free throw line.^[43] Despite McGrady suffering a season-ending injury in February,^[85] the Rockets finished with 53 wins and the fifth seed in the Western Conference.^[86] Facing the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, Yao finished with 24 points on 9 of 9 shooting in the first game, and the Rockets won 108–81, in Portland.^[87] The Rockets won all their games in Houston,^[88] and advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1997, and the first time in Yao's career.^[89]

The Rockets faced the Lakers in the second round, and Yao scored 28 points, with 8 points in the final four minutes, to lead the Rockets to a 100–92 win in Los Angeles.^[90] However, the Rockets lost their next two games,^[91][92] and Yao was diagnosed with a sprained ankle after Game 3.^[93] A follow-up test revealed a hairline fracture in his left foot, and he was ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs.^[94] In reaction, Yao said the injury, which did not require surgery, was "better than last year".^[95] However, follow-up analysis has indicated that the injury could be career threatening.^[96] The Yao-less Rockets went on to win Game 4 against the Lakers to even the series 2–2.^[97] The Rockets eventually lost the series in seven games.

In July 2009, Yao discussed the injury with his doctors, and the Rockets applied for a disabled player exception, an exception to the NBA Salary Cap which grants the injured player's team money to sign a free agent.^[98] The Rockets were granted the exception, and used approximately $5.7 million on free agent Trevor Ariza. After weeks of consulting, it was decided that Yao would undergo surgery in order to repair the broken bone in his left foot.^[99] He did not play the entire 2009–10 season.^[100]

For the 2010–11 season, the Rockets said they would limit Yao to 24 minutes a game, with no plan to play him on back-to-back nights. Their goal was to keep Yao healthy in the long term.^[100] On December 16, 2010, it was announced that Yao had developed a stress fracture in his left ankle, related to an older injury, and would miss the rest of the season.^[101] In January 2011, he was voted as the Western Conference starting center for the 2011 All-Star Game for the eighth time in nine seasons. Injured All-Stars are usually required to attend the All-Star functions and to be introduced at the game, but Yao was not in Los Angeles because of his rehabilitation schedule after his surgery.^[102] Yao's contract with the Rockets expired at the end of the season, and he became a free agent.^[103]

Retirement[link]

On July 20, 2011, Yao announced his retirement from basketball in a press conference in Shanghai.^[104][105] He cited injuries to his foot and ankle, including the third fracture to his left foot sustained near the end of 2010.^[106] His retirement sparked over 1.2 million comments on the Chinese social-networking site Sina Weibo.^[107] Reacting to Yao's retirement, NBA commissioner David Stern said Yao was a "bridge between Chinese and American fans" and that he had "a wonderful mixture of talent, dedication, humanitarian aspirations and a sense of humor."^[106] Shaquille O'Neal said Yao "was very agile. He could play inside, he could play outside, and if he didn't have those injuries he could've been up there in the top five centers to ever play the game."^[108]

Yao was nominated by a member of the Chinese media for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor to the game. He would have been eligible for induction as early as 2012, but Yao felt it was too soon and requested that the Hall of Fame delay consideration of the nomination. The Hall said it was Yao's decision when the process would be restarted.^[109]

International career[link]

Yao was the leading scorer of the 2006 FIBA World Championships.

2000 and 2004 Olympics[link]

Yao first played for China in the Summer Olympics at the 2000 Olympics Basketball Tournament, and he was dubbed, together with 7-foot (2.1 m) teammates Wang Zhizhi and Mengke Bateer, "The Walking Great Wall".^[110] During the 2004 Athens Olympics, Yao carried the Chinese flag during the opening ceremony, which he said was a "long dream come true".^[111] He then vowed to abstain from shaving his beard for half a year unless the Chinese national basketball team made it into the quarter-finals of the 2004 Olympics Basketball Tournament.^[112] After Yao scored 39 points in a win against New Zealand, China lost 58–83, 57–82, and 52–89 against Spain, Argentina and Italy respectively. In the final group game, however, a 67–66 win over the reigning 2002 FIBA World Champions Serbia and Montenegro moved them into the quarterfinals. Yao scored 27 points and had 13 rebounds, and he hit two free throws with 28 seconds left that proved to be the winning margin.^[113] He averaged 20.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting 55.9% from the field.^[114]

Asian Championships[link]

Yao led the Chinese national team to 3 consecutive FIBA Asian Championship gold medals, winning the 2001 FIBA Asian Championship, the 2003 FIBA Asian Championship, and the 2005 FIBA Asian Championship. He was also named the MVP of all three tournaments.

2006 World Championships[link]

Yao’s injury at the end of the 2005–06 NBA season required a full six months of rest, threatening his participation in the 2006 FIBA World Championship.^[115] However, he recovered before the start of the tournament, and in the last game of the preliminary round, he had 36 points and 10 rebounds in a win against Slovenia to lead China into the Round of 16.^[116] In the first knockout round, however, China was defeated by eventual finalist Greece.^[116] Yao's final averages were 25.3 points, the most in the tournament, and 9.0 rebounds a game, which was fourth overall.^[117]

2008 Olympics[link]

After having surgery to repair his fractured foot, Yao said that if he could not play in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, "It would be the biggest loss in my career to right now".^[118] However, he returned to play with the Chinese national team on July 17, 2008.^[119] On August 6, Yao carried the Olympic Flame into Tiananmen Square, as part of the Olympic torch relay.^[120] He also carried the Chinese flag and led his country's delegation during the opening ceremony.^[121] Yao scored the first basket of the game, a three-pointer, in China's opening game against the eventual gold medal-winning United States.^[122]

"I was just really happy to make that shot," Yao said after the Americans’ 101–70 victory. "It was the first score in our Olympic campaign here at home and I’ll always remember it. It represents that we can keep our heads up in the face of really tough odds."^[122]

Following an overtime defeat to Spain,^[123] Yao scored 30 points in a win over Angola,^[124] and 25 points in a three-point win against Germany,^[125] which clinched China's place in the quarterfinals. However, China lost to Lithuania in the quarterfinals by 26 points,^[126] eliminating them from the tournament. Yao's 19 points a game were the second-highest in the Olympics,^[127] and his averages of 8.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game were third overall.^[128][129]

Career statistics[link]

CBA statistics[link]

NBA statistics[link]

Regular season[link]