YAO Ming

Yao Ming, Founder and Chairman of Yao Foundation, is a former professional basketball player and former President of the Chinese Basketball Association(CBA). He currently serves as a deputy to the National People's Congress and Vice Chairman of the All-China Youth Federation. He was selected as the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft and was later inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the FIBA Hall of Fame. His accolades include honors at the 4th and 16th Laureus World Sports Awards, the China Charity Award, and the Reform Pioneer Medal.

He holds a Bachelor's degree from the Antai College of Economics and Management at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and an honorary Doctor of Social Sciences degree from The University of Hong Kong. Throughout his playing career and after retirement, he has remained deeply committed to philanthropy. In particular, Yao Foundation, which he established in 2008, is guided by its mission of "helping others help themselves through sports". The Foundation is dedicated to supporting education and promoting the healthy development of young people.