SHANGHAI, CHINA: Chinese basketball executive and former professional player Yao Ming is a staggering 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m/229 cm) tall, as per his Britannica biography.

Ming's playing career lasted from 1997 to 2011 and he used to be the tallest active player in the NBA during his final season.

Ming was born to tall parents and former professional basketball players – 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m/201 cm) tall father Yao Zhiyuan and 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m/191 cm) tall mother Fang Fengdi.

Yao Ming is the third-tallest player in NBA history

The Houston Rockets selected 7 ft 6 in tall Ming as the first overall choice in the 2002 NBA Draft.

Ming was very challenging to guard at 7 ft 6 in tall. The Houston Rockets center was not only imposingly tall but also tremendously skillful and a menace on both ends of the court.

Yao Ming's height makes him tied for third place among the NBA's tallest players with a height. At 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m/231 cm), only Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan were taller than him.

Yao Ming in public

Former basketball player Yao Ming's height makes him easily recognizable to the public. It is not that surprising that the former NBA basketball player makes regular people appear smaller.

Yao Ming's height compared to other NBA players

LeBron James looks like a child next to Yao Ming

LeBron James, who has a height of 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m/203 cm), is far from being one of the tallest players in the NBA.

LeBron appeared little next to Ming in a 2004 NBA All-Star Weekend picture they shot together. It's hard to believe that the rookie for the Cleveland Cavaliers was over a foot shorter than Ming.

Shaquille O'Neal cannot compete with Yao Ming's height

Shaquille was one of the most imposing players in NBA history, standing 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m/216 cm) and weighing more than 320 pounds. However, he struggled when playing against Ming.

While Shaq was heavier, Ming had a height advantage over the four-time NBA champion that he used to his advantage.

Jeff Van Gundy appears risible next to Yao Ming

Yao spent four years under Jeff Van Gundy's tutelage while playing for the Houston Rockets. Standing at an average height of 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m/175 cm), the former Rockets coach appeared extremely little next to Ming in a photo of the two of them.

Yao Ming compared to Earl Boykins

Earl Boykins is one of the shortest players in league history, whilst Ming is among the tallest. Boykins, who was 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m/165 cm), was the second-shortest player to ever play in the NBA, only after Muggsy Bogues, who was 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m/160 cm).

15-year-old Zhang Ziyu is compared to Yao Ming

Standing at 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m/224 cm), Zhang Ziyu is already taller than an average 15-year-old female, who stands at 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m/157 cm).

As per New York Post, Ziyu is a basketball prodigy from Shandong Province in East China and has amassed followers on social media.

In the video, she towers over her rivals, easily thwarts their attempts to make a basket, and then throws the won ball over their heads.

Commenters immediately compared Ziyu to fellow Chinese basketball player and former NBA star Ming, who stood 7 ft 6 in tall.

Who is the tallest NBA player in NBA history?

With a height of 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m/231 cm), Gheorghe Muresan is the tallest player in the NBA. Over the course of his NBA career, which spanned from 1993 to 2000, he played for both the New Jersey Nets and the Washington Bullets (now the Wizards).

How tall is Yao Ming's wife?

Ming's wife Ye Li is also a former Chinese basketball player and compared to his tall husband, Li stands tall at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m/191 cm).