Report: Yao Ming elected to Hall of Fame

Former Houston Rockets All-Star center Yao Ming will be named as one of this year's inductees into the Basketball Hall of Fame, sources told The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The official announcement of this year's class will be held at this weekend's NCAA Final Four in Houston.

Yao is among 14 finalists for enshrinement in Springfield, Mass., this fall. The list includes Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson, while Yao will enter thanks to a newly-created international committee.

The 7-foot-6 Shanghai native only played eight seasons in the NBA, but was an All-Star every year, averaging 19 points, 9.2 rebounds, and almost two blocks in 486 career games. Now 35, Yao was the impetus for the explosion in popularity of the NBA in China over the past 15 years.