Posted by Sabrina B. @gametimegirl

When Yao Ming retired from the NBA last month, his departure from the game touched off discussion on whether he was worthy of enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

It now appears the real question is not if Yao will be enshrined, but how soon.

The retired Houston Rockets center could be voted into the Hall of Fame as soon as next year, the museum’s president and chief executive told Houston-area media outlets on Tuesday.

As a player, Yao, who announced his retirement last month after years of battling recurring foot injuries, would normally be eligible for enshrinement in Springfield after a five-year waiting period.

But there is no waiting period for those elected to the Hall as a contributor to the game. And a member of the Chinese media has nominated Yao as a contributor, Hall of Fame president and CEO John Doleva said, according to Houston media outlets. The nomination would go through the Hall’s international committee.

The 7-foot-6 center, whose NBA career spanned nine seasons, was hailed at his retirement for his contributions to growing the game in China and serving as a global ambassador for the NBA. He was voted an NBA All-Star eight times, played for China’s national team at the Olympics and was the nation’s standard-bearer during the 2008 Beijing Games opening ceremony.

The Hall of Fame has had a contributor category “forever” to recognize those who significantly impact and influence the game. But it is unusual for a player to be nominated as a contributor so soon after his or her retirement, Doleva told the Chronicle.

“It’s really the whole body of work and the impact of his influence on basketball,” he said, according to the report.

Should Yao be nominated, he will be a strong candidate for enshrinement, Doleva, who does not have a vote, told KRIV-TV.

“I think the discussion about Mr. Yao as a contributor is as a player in China, a player in the U.S. and really as a spokesperson for the game globally and clearly in China really, really ramping up the desire about basketball in China,” Doleva told the station. “I think the reality is he’s a very significant candidate should he be nominated as a contributor for 2012.”

WRITTEN BY ESPN & FULL STORY HERE