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Why Yao Ming is Not Such a Bad Person Afterall

A few months ago, I wrote an article entitled Is Yao Ming a Sellout?  in which I discussed the Chinese born NBA star’s unpopularity among many in his home country. Yao Ming has often been criticized for not having given enough back to China. Apparently, the 2 million dollars that Yao Ming has promised to donate to the earthquake relief effort through is foundation this week is changing some people’s minds.

“ I think he’s a good person now,” a student told me yesterday. “He has made a great donation to the earthquake.” Other students echoed these sentiments saying that his multi-million donation would be very useful in Sichuan. A few of my friends have been more hestitant to say that his donation would change their minds about him but they definitely agree  that his contribution is admirable. Some of these same students and friends of mine just last month were expressing their dislike of Yao Ming and his career in the NBA.

As I discussed in my previous article, the criticism that Yao Ming has been subjected to from his own people since his rise to NBA stardom stems from the belief that Yao Ming owes an extreme debt of gratitude to the country that ‘raised him.’ Many Chinese people also seem to be resentful that Yao Ming left his country and ’sold out’ to the United States. They believe that his money and fame have caused him to forget about China.

Even if Yao Ming had never donated a single jiao to the earthquake effort, the resentment that Chinese people have had for him is largely unjustified. First, it was not China that elevated Yao Ming to his current stardom in the United States. It was his own ’blood and sweat’ that made him into a star. If anything, China has created problems for Yao Ming’s career including a host of CBA regulatory obstacles. Second, Yao Ming has done much more for his country than many Chinese people care to admit or perhaps even know about. He has been involved in raising money for various charities and has also lent his name and support for the fight against AIDS, SARS, and poverty in China. For many, in China, however, these efforts have not been enough.

I do not know Yao Ming personally; I cannot speak to his true character. I do believe, however, that much of the anger and resentment that has been directed towards him is bourne out of pure jealousy. Many people question what makes Yao Ming so special. Who cares if he can dribble a basketball. What has he actually done that makes him worth of the fame and riches he has achieved? I always have an answer for such questions. Yao Ming is the face of China in the NBA and represents his country well. His hard work and peserverance through injuries and cultural obstacles should be an inspiration for youth throughout China and the world. Hopefully, with this promise of 2 million dollars in aid from the basketball star, Chinese people can throw away their blind resentment and appreciate Yao Ming for his great achievements and for his many important contributions to his country.

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