Welcome to the ninth episode of XOM 2020 special program of “Voice for Love”, in which our volunteer Song Haoyang and Xiaoao will tell  the story of Yao Ming, the Giant of Basketball.

Invented by on December 21, 1891, basketball, originated in Massachusetts, USA, is a core event of the Olympic Games.

  On December 21, 1891, it was invented by James Naismith, physical education teacher of Springfield College, Massachusetts. In 1896, basketball was introduced to China, and in 2002, Yao Ming was selected to the NBA as the No. 1 pick, which started a new craze for basketball in China.

  In 1904, the first basketball exhibition game was played at the St. Louis Olympics. In 1936, basketball was made an official sport at the Berlin Olympics. In 1992, the Barcelona Olympic Games began.

The main international basketball organization is Fédération Internationale de Basketball (formerly named Fédération Internationale de Basketball Amateur), which was founded in 1932 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

  The best basketball league in the world is the NBA.

  The highest-level league representing China is the Chinese professional basketball league, the CBA League.

Reviewing the history of the Olympic Games, inheriting the Olympic spirit. Hello everyone, I am Song haoyang, today's volunteer, who will share with you the story of Yao Ming

  Yao Ming was born on September 12, 1980, and his parents are the Asia's first professional basketball couple. The first couple refers to the height. Yao Ming’s father Yao zhiyuan is 2.08 meters tall, and his mother Fang Fengdi is 1.88 meters tall. But it would be a mistake to say that Yao Ming's success owes to his height and his parents' professional heritage. In fact, Yao Ming was not fond of basketball when he was young, let alone outstanding. It was his parents who guided Yao Ming naturally and actively, not to rush for success, but to respect his career choice, and conducted a series of scientific training for him that made this sports star rise gradually.

Be courteous and helpful

  Yao Ming remembers a simple and happy childhood spent on a public corridor that today seems narrow and short. Shanghai is short of housing, with his family living in a 12-square-meter plus 6-square-meter one-room-and-a-half dormitory. Small common space is bound to be more of the kind of friction between small partners. Yao Ming was a big man when he was young, and his friends did not take advantage but suffer. Once, the neighbor's child complained to Yao Ming's mother that Yao Ming bullied him. The mother criticized her son, but Yao Ming did not explain. Finally, mother knew that is not the case. Then a neighbor said: Yao Ming was so simple and honest that he would suffer. His mother said, "I believe Yao Ming treats people with sincerity and others will treat him well." After that mother would ask first whatever encountered, and often taught Yao Ming to be generous, also warned that: When you are bullied by others, there is always a place to reason. Don't be wrong to others cos he was wrong to you first. The education of his parents made Yao Ming humble. Every time the school organized a spring outing, he gave up his seat to the weak classmates. He always stood at the back of a bus. In grade four of primary school, he grew to 1.7 meters. At first, it was him who wiped the windows of his classroom at high space for him. Later, any teacher or classmate, who ever asked him to clean the windows, he was always willing to agree, never haggling over every ounce. This kindness was also shown on the court from time to time. Yao Ming had a strong sense of honor when he was young. He stood at the back of the line and looked at the young flag-lifters in front of him with envy. This sense of honor also promoted Yao Ming to fight.

Guide us to the world

  His parents keep a low profile. Because of hard work, Yao Ming became a young star in the Shanghai young sports school. When the media wanted to interview Yao Ming, his mother refused. The mother thought that the media publicity would bring some side effects to the child. She wanted her son to keep his feet on the ground instead of riding high in the media hype. At that time the sports reform carried out in full swing. The national basketball league began in 12 cities, and the cba was born. In 1996, at the age of 16, the Shanghai Oriental Basketball Club was officially established. With many high-level foreign aids, Yao Ming improved a lot.

  His parents are also his best teachers, discussing the skills. Once, while watching a Beijing team's game, they discussed how to defense of the double inner line of Shan Tao and Ba Te’er. Yao Ming remembers that Shan Tao holding others by his elbow. Mother said: “You have to learn this motion. You have to learn to use your body. My mother's words reminded me to my elbow,' he recalled later. That made me more aggressive.

His parents often give Yao Ming advice. They have never missed the home games of Oriental Men's Basketball Team; so that they can chat with Yao Ming on the court. In away games, they always sat in front of the television, discussing defense, offense, playing attitude. During the 2001 Beijing Universiade, Yao Ming didn't play well in the first few games. His parents comforted and encouraged him on the phone.

  Yao Ming started his basketball career at the Olympic Games in 1997. From the CBA League to the Asian Championships and the Olympic Games, and spent only a few days at home each year. He didn't want his parents to accompany him on vacation. Instead, he sleeps at home alone. His mother knew that his son needed sleep most, so she left him alone. Even during the Spring Festival, he could only have a dinner at home and left again the next morning. Every step of Yao Ming's growth, his parents were with him, designing training programs for him and not hastily getting him into the NBA too early. Their scientific methods made him a series of solid growth footprints: He entered the Shanghai Men's basketball team at 16, played in Olympic Games at 17, entered the Chinese national team at 19, and was selected as the main force of Houston Rockets at 21.

  At the Athens Olympics, Yao Ming became the flag-bearer of the Chinese sports delegation. How proud he was!

The spring of 2020 seems to come a little later. When the epidemic situation gets better, we will take off our masks to breathe freely and enjoy the fragrance of flowers. At that time, we will be able to gather in the Xiamen Olympic Museum and tell our Olympic story together. Thanks for listening. "Fight the epidemic, listen to the Olympics", I am Song Haoyang, See you next time!