"Always good to see my brother": 20 years after historic first matchup, Shaquille O'Neal meets up with Yao Ming in China
The whole basketball world waited in excitement heading into the first matchup between Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming on January 17, 2003. O’Neal, the late Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers were scheduled to take on the Houston Rockets and the highly-touted 7-foot-6 rookie from China. It was a game that didn’t disappoint as the Chinese big man proved he was no pushover against the NBA’s best player and most dominant force. Ming’s Rockets even got away with a win against Shaq’s team in overtime.
Two decades later, the two spent some time together in China. The event may be the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games in China. Shaq captioned their get-together on IG with this:
“Always good seeing my brother @yao”
Yao Ming was the No.1 pick of the 2002 NBA Draft. He came into the NBA when Shaquille O'Neal and the LA Lakers lorded it over the league. They were the two-time defending champs in the Chinese big man’s first year in the NBA.
The first game between the two behemoths was spectacular. Yao blocked Shaq’s first three attempts, something the basketball world had not seen before. The Houston Rockets center was not as powerful but he had bulk, was mobile enough and his 7-foot-6 frame was staggering to see. O’Neal looked normal on the basketball court for a change.
Shaq finished that game with 31 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. Yao had 10 points, 10 rebounds, six blocks, three of which were against O’Neal, and three assists.
Yao Ming didn’t win a single championship, unlike Shaquille O'Neal who had four. The Chinese, though, had a big following in the NBA. He was an All-Star in nine of his 10 seasons. The only time he wasn’t selected was during the 2009-10 campaign when he didn’t play a single game.
Yao was so popular in the NBA that in his last season (2010-11) when he suited up for just five games, he was still named an All-Star.
Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming were inducted into the Hall of Fame together
Shaquille O'Neal, Yao Ming and Allen Iverson were part of the 2016 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class. After years of battling each other on the basketball court, it was only fitting they were inducted to the enviable body.
It was during O’Neal’s induction that he delivered the iconic speech that involved Yao:
“Yao Ming was the first to block my shots three times in a row. People like to say he’s 7’7, but he’s really like my favorite convenience store, 7-11. ... He tricked me. Three years, I never spoke to Yao cause I thought there was a language barrier there.
"One game, he hit me with an Hakeem Olajuwon bang-bang fadeaway. I was like, ‘Hey, Yao, nice move.’ He said, ‘Thanks, my brother.’ I said, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa. You speak English?’ He said, ‘Shaq, you never talk to me. Of course, I speak English.’ Damn!”
Watching the two meet for the first time in years should bring back fond memories for basketball fans.