NBA HOF, so it includes international play as well as overall contributions to the league. He was and probably still is China's most recognizable athlete and made basketball huge over there. He was unbelievably popular everywhere. You could argue at one point he had one of the biggest fanbases of any athlete ever. One of the only guys next to Kobe who you could pencil in for an All-Star game nom every year (regardless of health). That popular. Once you factor in significance to China+NBA achievements+international play, he's not the weakest candidate to get in.
Plus Yao was damn good for a while so they considered that I'm sure
Plus Yao was damn good for a while so they considered that I'm sure

