Yao, the NBA's overall No. 1 draft pick, landed in Houston on Sunday in time to see his new team play the Orlando Magic in an exhibition game at Compaq Center.
His arrival came after months of contract negotiations, releases from the Chinese government and a pledge of allegiance to the Chinese national team.
Yao, who led the Chinese national team to a silver medal in the recent Asian Games, signed an agreement to return home for future international competition. His four-year contract with Houston is worth $17.8 million.
The 7-foot-5 center will begin workouts with the Rockets to try and get ready for the Nov. 1 season opener at Denver.
The Rockets' next exhibition game is Wednesday in San Antonio. His first chance to play before the home crowd would be Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers -- if coach Rudy Tomjanovich decides to put his new star on the court.
Yao, who averaged 32.4 points and 18.9 rebounds with his club team in Shanghai last season, is the first foreign player who didn't play college basketball in the United States to be chosen as the NBA's No. 1 draft pick.
The Rockets have done well drafting foreign players. Houston picked Hakeem Olajuwon of Nigeria and the University of Houston in 1984. Olajuwon led the Rockets to NBA titles in 1994 and 1995.
Yao's mother, who was already in Houston, plans to remain with her son throughout the season to help him adjust to life in the United States. His father will remain for a while before returning to China.
(People's Daily October 23, 2002)
