Yao poised for 'Jordanesque' impact ( 2004-01-09 09:31) (China Daily)
Houston Rockets¡¯ centre Yao Ming is the highest-ranked athlete on the annual
list of the 100 most powerful people in US sports.
Yao, the Chinese-born first overall draft pick in 2002, is
ranked No 25 on the list, which was published in The Sporting News on Wednesday.
¡°With the NBA pushing to expand in China, Yao could become a Jordanesque
figure (earning Jordanesque figures) in the world¡¯s largest country with its
white-hot economy,¡¯¡¯ the magazine wrote of Yao, who was one place higher than
golfer Tiger Woods.
George Bodenheimer, president of sports television network ESPN, topped the
list, followed by National Football League commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Nike
chairman Phil Knight and Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig.
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