Yao Ming left China after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Houston Rockets in 2002. Not knowing much about American culture, its slang terms or its people, Yao said he was incredibly shy when he entered the Rockets' arena for the first time.
Enter Steve Francis.
"Steve was very warm and very passionate. He was determined to introduce me to everyone on the team," Yao wrote in The Player's Tribune. "'I’m so sorry, I’m a little bit shy,' I said to Steve."
“'Don’t worry,' he said, and then he gave me a big friendly hug, 'We’ve been waiting for you.