Former Chinese NBA player Yao Ming, the most popular and recognized sportsman in China and announced his retirement from professional basketball last July 20, will stay in his hometown to study in Shanghai Jiaotong University, one of the most prestigious universities in China.
Yao’s agent Zhang Mingji, announced the decision and said that the basketball star has not yet chosen subjects for the study, the university will select for him “special teachers” that will offer classes in a personalized way.
The reason is that, given his fame, Yao fears his presence and stature affect the concentration and academic performance of other students.
The agent also mentioned the “speculation” reports of some Chinese media that Yao would study financial management, and commented that “Yao has been learning ever since his retirement, never stopped learning. ”
During his career Yao Ming participated in eight times at the NBA All Star Games as well as in the last three Olympic Games, which reached the quarter-finals both in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008, with the Chinese team.