Yao Ming believes that Jeremy Lin’s emergence in the NBA could change the way that China scouts and trains basketball players, according to Reuters.

Yao has been an icon in Chinese basketball since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2002 by the Houston Rockets. As a result of his fame and success, there has been a large emphasis on identifying and developing  front court players in China. Lin, who has taken the NBA by storm in the last month, stands at just six feet, three inches, and is known for his quickness and shot creating ability as opposed to his size.

“This is something else that Jeremy Lin has brought to us. It has given us something to reflect on, whether there are imperfections over the development and selection process for our basketball players over the past 10 or 20 years,” Yao told Reuters.

“I am very surprised but also very happy,” he continued. “When he played well in his first game I thought this was a great start and perhaps he would soon have more stable game time.

“But I never thought he would perform to such levels as he had today.

In the 11 games since Lin began to see significant playing time, he has led the Knicks to a 9-2 record and has averaged 23.9 points and 9.2 assists per game.

Former Houston Rockets center Yao Ming is cheering for New York Knicks sensation point guard Jeremy Lin, according to NBA.com.

“I know that Jeremy was born in California and we both had very different backgrounds growing up,” Yao told NBA.com by phone. “But I feel that we are both Chinese and I am happy that a guard like him could come out of nowhere and make this big effect on the NBA. I hope it is the next step for us.”

Lin, one of the few Asian Americans ever to play in the NBA, has experienced a tremendous amount of support and praise from the Asian community in the U.S. as well as abroad.

The 31-year old Yao Ming, now retired, is one of the most renowned Chinese athletes.  A much different story than Lin, the Chinese superstar was selected as the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft.  At 7-foot-6, Yao Ming, the tallest player in the NBA, had a solid career although he missed 250 games, often riddled with foot and ankle injuries.

Retired NBA star Yao Ming was on hand at the release of six pandas into an enclosed nature preserve in central China on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.

“I think it is most important to keep a balance between modern living and nature. We have been talking about it for many years but it is never an easy thing to do,” Yao told the AP.

Yao is a well-known conservation advocate and has been attending such events since his return to China following his retirement. The former All-Star made the decision to hang up his sneakers this offseason after his five-year, $76 million deal with the Houston Rockets expired.

Throughout his career he averaged 19.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. His best season came in 2006-07 when he averaged 25 points and 9.4 rebounds per contest.