Yao "The Great Wall" Ming

Yao Ming (born September 12, 1980) is a professional basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is currently the tallest player in the NBA, at 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in).
Yao, who was born in Shanghai, People's Republic of China, started playing for the Shanghai Sharks as a teenager, and played on their senior team for five years in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), winning a championship in his final year. He entered the 2002 NBA Draft, and after negotiating with the CBA and the Sharks to secure his release, was selected by the Houston Rockets as the first overall pick of the draft. He has since been selected to start for the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star Game in all seven of his seasons, and has been named to the All-NBA Team four times. However, the Rockets have not advanced past the first round of the playoffs since he joined the team, and he has missed significant time due to injury in each of the past three seasons.
His father, Yao Zhiyuan, is 2.08 m (6 ft 10 in); his mother, Fengdi Fang, is 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) and was captain of the Chinese national women's basketball team. Yao's parents were the tallest couple in China at the time of his birth.
Yao is married to Ye Li, a former player for the China women's national basketball team. He is one of China's best-known athletes, with sponsorships with several major companies, and he has been the richest celebrity in China for five straight years. His rookie year in the NBA was the subject of a documentary film, The Year of the Yao, and he co-wrote, along with NBA analyst Ric Bucher, an autobiography titled Yao: A Life in Two Worlds.

Yao did not participate in the Rockets' pre-season training camp, instead playing for China in the 2002 FIBA World Championships. He played his first NBA game against the Indiana Pacers, scoring only one point and grabbing one rebound, and scored his first NBA basket against the Denver Nuggets. Yao averaged only 14 minutes and 4 points in his first seven games, and several respected commentators, including Bill Simmons and Dick Vitale, predicted that Yao would fail in the NBA. Charles Barkley said he would "kiss [Kenny Smith's] ass" if Yao scored more than 19 points in one of his rookie-season games. On November 17, Yao scored 20 points on a perfect 9-of-9 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line against the Lakers, and Barkley made good on his bet by kissing Smith's donkey (his "ass").
Before Yao’s first meeting with Shaquille O'Neal on January 17, 2003, O'Neal said, "Tell Yao Ming, Ching chong-yang-wah-ah-soh", prompting accusations of racism from the Asian American community. O'Neal denied that his comments were racist, and said he was only joking. Yao also said he believed O'Neal was joking, but the comments led to increased media coverage in the buildup to the nationally televised game. In the game, Yao scored six points and blocked O'Neal twice in the opening minutes, and made a game-sealing dunk with 10 seconds left in overtime. Yao finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds; O'Neal scored 31 points and 13 rebounds.
Yao prepares to shoot a free throw with John Stockton in the backgroundYao finished his rookie season averaging 13.5 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game, and was second in the NBA Rookie of the Year Award voting to Amar'e Stoudemire, and a unanimous pick for the NBA All-Rookie First Team selection. He was also voted the Sporting News Rookie of the Year, and won the Laureus Newcomer of the Year award.
Before the start of Yao's sophomore season, Rockets' head coach Rudy Tomjanovich resigned due to health issues, and long-time New York Knicks head coach Jeff Van Gundy was brought in. After Van Gundy began focusing the offense on Yao, Yao averaged career highs in points and rebounds for the season, and had a career-high 41 points and 7 assists in a triple-overtime win against the Atlanta Hawks in February 2004. He was also voted to be the starting center in the 2004 NBA All-Star Game for the second straight year. Yao finished the season averaging 17.5 points and 9.0 rebounds a game.
The Rockets made the playoffs for the first time in Yao's career, claiming the seventh seed in the Western Conference. In the first round, however, the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated Houston in five games.[40] Yao averaged 15.0 points and 7.4 rebounds in his first playoff series.
In the summer of 2004, the Rockets acquired Tracy McGrady from the Orlando Magic in a seven-player trade that also sent Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley to Orlando. Although Yao said that Francis and Mobley had "helped [him] in every way [his] first two seasons", he added, "I'm excited about playing with Tracy McGrady. He can do some amazing things." After the trade, it was predicted that the Rockets would be title contenders. Both McGrady and Yao were voted to start in the 2005 NBA All-Star Game, and Yao broke the record previously held by Michael Jordan for most All-Star votes, with 2,558,278 total votes. The Rockets won 51 games and finished fifth in the West, and made the playoffs for the second consecutive year, where they faced the Dallas Mavericks. The Rockets won the first two games in Dallas, and Yao made 13 of 14 shots in the second game, the best shooting performance in the playoffs in Rockets history. However the Rockets lost four of their last five games and lost Game 7 by 40 points, the largest Game 7 deficit in NBA history. Yao's final averages for the series were 21.4 points on 65% shooting and 7.7 rebounds.

Chis Paul

Christopher Emmanuel Paul (born May 6, 1985 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina) is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Hornets of the National Basketball Association. He serves as team captain of the franchise. His nickname "CP3" comes from family tradition, and the combination of his initials and jersey number is strictly a coincidence.

Since being drafted 4th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft, Paul has been named a NBA Rookie of the Year Award (2006), an All-Star, listed in both All-NBA and All-Defensive teams and led the Hornets to the second round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs. He has also won a Olympic Gold Medal with the United States national basketball team.

Pau "Spanish Gasoline" Gasol

Pau Gasol Sáez (pronounced POW gah-SOHL) (born July 6, 1980 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain) is a 2.13 m (7 ft.) Spanish professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born to Marisa Sáez and Agustí Gasol, and he spent his childhood growing up in Spain. Gasol's brother, Marc Gasol, is also a professional basketball player.
Gasol was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2001 NBA Draft, but his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, where he won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He currently holds the Memphis Grizzlies franchise records for career games played, minutes played, field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, offensive, defensive, and total rebounds, blocked shots, turnovers, and points. After seven seasons with the team, Gasol was traded to the Lakers on February 1, 2008, and a USA Today newspaper article said he was "the major factor in turning around a storied NBA franchise and making it hip to be a Lakers fan again.

Dwight "Superman" Howard

Dwight David Howard (born December 8, 1985, in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career. He chose to forgo college and entered the 2004 NBA Draft. He was selected first overall by the Magic, and has since emerged as one of the top rebounders and players in the NBA. A two-time NBA All-Star and All-NBA member and one-time NBA All-Defensive member, he has been ranked consistently as one of the best in the league in field goal percentage. In the 2008 Olympics, he was the starting center for Team USA which went on to win the gold medal. Howard's overall play and his spectacular dunks have gained him prominence as one of the brightest young prospects in the NBA and the team leader of the Magic. Additionally, Howard, the winner of the NBA 2008 Slam Dunk Contest, is a devout Christian who contributes substantially to philanthropic causes.

Dwayne "The Flash" Wade

Wade plays the shooting guard position, but is also capable of playing point guard. On offense, he has established himself as one of the quickest and most difficult players to guard in the NBA. Wade is able to get to the free throw line seemingly at will; he ranked first in free-throw attempts per 48 minutes in 2004–05 and again in the 2006–07 season. He has proven himself an unselfish player, averaging 6.4 assists per game throughout his career. After winning the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in 2006, Wade developed a reputation as one of the premier clutch players in the NBA. David Thorpe, an athletic trainer who runs a training center for NBA players in the offseason, also cites Wade's developing post up game as one of his strengths.[52] "Watching Wade operate on the left block is literally like watching old footage of MJ (Michael Jordan)," comments Thorpe.[52] Thorpe goes on to say that Wade's best moves from the post are his turnaround jump shot,[52] double pivot,[52] and what Thorpe terms as a "freeze fake", a pump fake Wade uses to get his opponent to jump, so that he can then drive around him to the basket. The main weakness cited in Wade's ability is his lack of three-point range; he has averaged .261 on three-point field goal attempts for his career. He is best known for his ability to convert difficult lay-ups, even after hard mid-air collisions with larger defenders. As crowd pleasing as his high-flying style of basketball may be, some have expressed concerns over the dangers of playing in this manner, as Wade has already hurt his knees and wrists after mid-air collisions with larger players. Wade is also known for his defensive prowess , particularly his ability to block shots.

Tracy McGrady

Tracy Lamar McGrady, Jr. (born May 24, 1979, in Bartow, Florida) is an American professional basketball player, currently playing at starting shooting guard for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He can also play as a small forward/point forward, and is commonly referred to as "T-Mac."

Entering the league after graduating from high school, McGrady eventually became a seven-time All-Star. He led the league in scoring in 2003 and 2004. He spent the first seven years of his career with the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic before being traded to the Houston Rockets in 2004. McGrady was ranked #75 on SLAM magazine's Top 75 NBA Players of All Time in 2003. McGrady has never advanced to the second round of the playoffs in his whole career despite his seven trips to the playoffs: one with the Toronto Raptors, three with the Orlando Magic and three with the Houston Rockets. McGrady's style of play has been compared to that of George Gervin.

Tracy McGrady played high school basketball at Auburndale High School in Auburndale, Florida for three years. He then transferred to Mount Zion Christian Academy, in Durham, North Carolina. He would have attended the University of Kentucky had he not entered the NBA right after high school. McGrady created a national buzz after his performance in the Adidas ABCD Camp, where the best high school players in the U.S. are invited annually. He was named High School Player of the Year by USA Today.

Kobe "Black Mamba" Bryant

Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the youngest of three children and the only son of Joe and Pam Bryant.

When Bryant was six, his father left the NBA and moved his family to Italy to begin playing professional basketball. Bryant became accustomed to his new lifestyle and learned to speak Italian fluently. At an early age, he learned to play soccer, his favorite team was AC Milan. He has said that if he had stayed in Italy, he would have tried to become a professional soccer player; Bryant is a big fan of former FC Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard and their former player Ronaldinho.

In 1991, the Bryant family moved back to the United States. Bryant earned national recognition during a spectacular high school career at Lower Merion High School located in the Philadelphia suburb of Lower Merion. His SAT score of 1080, would have ensured his basketball scholarship to various top-tier colleges. Ultimately, however, the 17-year-old Bryant made the decision to go directly into the NBA. Bryant has stated that had he decided to go to college after high school, he would have attended Duke University.

Michael "Air" Jordan Rulezzzz....

Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player and active businessman. His biography on the National Basketball Association (NBA) website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time."[1] Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.

After a stand-out career at the University of North Carolina, Jordan joined the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1984. He quickly emerged as one of the stars of the league, entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring. His leaping ability, illustrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line at Slam Dunk Contests, earned him the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness." He also gained a reputation as one of the best defensive players in basketball. In 1991, he won his first NBA championship with the Bulls, and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a "three-peat." Though Jordan abruptly left the NBA at the beginning of the 1993-94 NBA season to pursue a career in baseball, he rejoined the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three additional championships (1996, 1997, and 1998) as well as an NBA-record 72 regular-season wins in the 1995–96 season. Jordan retired for a second time in 1999, but he returned for two more NBA seasons in 2001 as a member of the Washington Wizards.

Jordan's individual accolades and accomplishments include five MVP awards, ten All-NBA First Team designations, nine All-Defensive First Team honors, fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances and three All-Star MVP, ten scoring titles, three steals titles, six NBA Finals MVP awards, and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He holds the NBA record for highest career regular season scoring average with 30.12 points per game, as well as averaging a record 33.4 points per game in the playoffs. In 1999, he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN, and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press's list of athletes of the century. He will be eligible for induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Jordan is also noted for his product endorsements. He fueled the success of Nike's Air Jordan sneakers, which were introduced in 1985 and remain popular today. Jordan also starred in the 1996 feature film Space Jam. He is currently a part-owner and Managing Member of Basketball Operations of the Charlotte Bobcats in North Carolina.

LeBron "King" James

LeBron Raymone James (born December 30, 1984 in Akron, Ohio) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). James, commonly nicknamed "King James," was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while still a sophomore in high school at St. Vincent - St. Mary High School, and was named Ohio's "Mr. Basketball" three times. At the age of 18, he was selected with the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Cavaliers and signed a US$90 million shoe contract with Nike before his NBA debut. He has since set numerous youngest player records. During his first season, he received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and in the following four seasons received All-NBA and All-Star honors. He has led the Cavaliers to consecutive playoff appearances in 2006, 2007, and 2008; in 2007, the team advanced to the Conference Finals for the first time since 1992 and the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

James is listed as a small forward, but is often classified as a point forward due to his ability to play point guard. He is a member of the United States men's national basketball team winning the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics and redeeming that result by winning the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics. He finished second in the league's Most Valuable Player balloting in 2006.