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Yao heads for Houston
Top picks from the NBA draft
As expected, the Houston Rockets made Yao Ming number one pick at the 2002 NBA draft in New York on Wednesday.
The 7ft 5in centre, known as the 'Great Tall of China', becomes the first-ever Asian top choice in the annual division of fresh talent.
He is also the first foreign player to be selected first not to have represented a US college.
Yao was not in New York to hear his name called by NBA commissioner David Stern, remaining in China where he is training with the national team.
Houston have high hopes for Yao Ming
But in a live satellite link-up from Beijing, Yao - wearing a Rockets cap - said: "This is now a new start in my basketball life.
"It will be a new challenge for me and I know there will be a lot of difficulties.
"But I am confident that I can learn from the NBA and improve myself and Chinese basketball."
Last season in the China Basketball League, the 21-year-old averaged 32.4 points, 19 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots a game while leading the Shanghai Sharks to the title.
Under threat
The final days leading up to the draft were surrounded by intrigue as the Houston Rockets, NBA, agents, Chinese basketball and government officials engaged in tense negotiations.
Just 24 hours before Wednesday's draft Houston's plans were under threat when they were unable to secure Yao's release from the Chinese Basketball Federation (CBF).
NBA looks to Yao
But Houston was able to answer the CBF's concerns and was finally granted a transfer certificate from the Fiba, basketball's world governing body.
Scotland's Robert Archibald became the highest-ever British pick in the draft - chosen 32nd overall by Memphis from Illinois. (来源：http://www.EnglishCN.com)
Archibald aiming high
The second selection saw the Chicago Bulls take Duke University's Jay Williams, seen as the best point guard prospect for years.
His Duke team-mate, forward Mike Dunleavy, was next to be selected by Golden State.
Kansas University's Drew Gooden, another forward, was chosen fourth overall by the Memphis Grizzlies.
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First-round picks from the NBA draft:
1. Houston, Yao Ming, Shanghai Sharks (China)
2. Chicago, Jay Williams, Duke
3. Golden State, Mike Dunleavy, Duke
4. Memphis, Drew Gooden, Kansas
5. Denver, Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Benetton Treviso (Italy)
6. Cleveland, Dajuan Wagner, Memphis
7. Denver (from New York), Maybyner Hilario, Vasco da Gama (Brazil)
8. L.A. Clippers (from Atlanta), Chris Wilcox, Maryland
9. Phoenix, Amare Stoudemire, Cypress Creek HS, Orlando, Florida
10. Miami, Caron Butler, Connecticut
11. Washington, Jared Jeffries, Indiana
12. L.A. Clippers, Melvin Ely, Fresno State
13. Milwaukee, Marcus Haislip, Tennessee
14. Indiana, Fred Jones, Oregon
15. Houston (from Toronto), Bostjan Nachbar, Benetton Treviso (Italy)
16. Philadelphia, Jiri Welsch, Olimpija Ljubljana (Slovenia)
17. Washington (from New Orleans), Juan Dixon, Maryland
18. Orlando, Curtis Borchardt, Stanford
19. Utah, Ryan Humphrey, Notre Dame
20. Toronto (from Seattle through New York), Kareem Rush, Missouri
21. Portland, Qyntel Woods, Northeast Mississippi CC
22. Phoenix (from Boston), Casey Jacobsen, g-f, Stanford
23. Detroit, Tayshaun Prince, Kentucky
24. New Jersey, Nenad Krstic, BC Partizan Beograd (Yugoslavia)
25. New York (from Dallas via Denver), Frank Williams, Illinois
26. San Antonio, John Salmons, Miami
27. LA Lakers, Chris Jefferies, Fresno State
28. Sacramento, Dan Dickau, Gonzaga
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