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Sumnima Kandangwa

Freelance Editorial Assistant for Style by SCMP


Since retiring from the NBA in 2011, Yao Ming has spent the past decade building a life beyond basketball. In 2008, the former Houston Rockets star founded the Yao Foundation, a non-profit focused on expanding access to education and improving health outcomes for young people across China. Nearly two decades on, its reach continues to grow – most recently through a 2025 partnership with the Hong Kong Jockey Club aimed at developing youth basketball and grassroots sport.
Yao’s most recent appearance in Hong Kong was as a guest speaker at HSBC Life’s Legacy Continuum Summit, held at the Rosewood Hong Kong on June 23. The invite-only gathering brought together global wealth leaders and industry insiders, with four panels fostering discussions on wealth preservation, health resilience and legacy planning,

Style caught up with Yao Ming on the day of the event to discuss legacy, life lessons and learning from younger generations.
From basketball to business and philanthropy, you’ve made huge career shifts. How has your thinking around “legacy” changed along the way?
It’s too early to call this a legacy. I think I’m still young for that; I don’t have the experience or the qualifications to use that word yet. But looking at what I’ve done, I feel very fortunate. I’ve had the chance to experience many different countries and cultures through basketball and business. I’ve travelled the world. Not many people get to see so much change in such a short time. I’ve been very lucky.
This summit is all about passing things on to the next generation. What’s one lesson from your time in sport that you think really stands the test of time?
Sport is everywhere – not only on the basketball court or football field. Life is like sport. You are always competing with others or collaborating with colleagues. It’s very similar. So I would say: appreciate what you have today, and learn from every experience and every person you meet. If you can do that, over time you will become much better. Don’t waste any day.
Appreciate what you have today, and learn from every experience and every person you meet

A lot of the conversation at this event revolves around wealth and long-term planning. Do you see parallels between managing finances and the discipline of being an athlete?
Both require discipline. As an athlete, you need discipline on and off the court. You have to stay in shape, and that’s not easy. I’m not an expert in finance, but I believe it requires a similar level of discipline, because managing wealth is a lifelong responsibility. It’s not only for yourself, but for the next generation and beyond. You can’t rely only on your feelings and take reckless bets. Another parallel is that you’re constantly learning from friends, colleagues and even “opponents”.
There’s increasing focus on legacy beyond money, such as social impact and values. How do you balance those different aspects?
Money gives us leverage. It gives us more choices and access, and it creates opportunities to connect with different people and different fields. But beyond that, what really matters is how you connect with people, how you communicate, and how you build real friendships. In the end, it’s about whether you have good friends – not relationships based only on business, but on shared values.
You’ve done a lot of work in youth development as well. Do you see that as a key part of the legacy you’re building?
I’m grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to help young people. But at the same time, I’ve also learned a lot from those experiences. Traditionally, legacy is seen as older generations passing knowledge to younger ones. But today, in many areas, we can learn just as much from the younger generation. Legacy goes both ways.

Health is increasingly becoming a core pillar of legacy planning. As a former athlete, how has your approach to physical and mental well-being evolved since retiring from professional basketball?
First of all, I try to stay active – to work out and play sport. It’s not only about winning or losing, it’s about connecting with people. It’s not about being isolated on a court or in a gym. It’s about experiencing the world, being around people and feeling normal. That’s important. For mental well-being, it’s about living fully and just being alive. Watch movies, read books, enjoy coffee or tea with friends, and spend quality time with people you care about.
Finally, what kind of message do you hope people walk away with at the end of this summit?
This summit is a place where people come together to meet and understand each other, and to exchange experiences. It not only about managing wealth or passing on legacy, but also to realise that we are not isolated. Sometimes, when you stay at home too long, you can feel that way. But at an event like this, you see there are many people just like you. I’m just a normal person. That feeling – of being normal and connected – is what I hope people take away.


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Once a player with the Houston Rockets in the NBA, now he has his non-profit Yao Foundation and was recently in Hong Kong to speak at HSBC Life’s Legacy Continuum Summit


Once a player with the Houston Rockets in the NBA, now he has his non-profit Yao Foundation and was recently in Hong Kong to speak at HSBC Life’s Legacy Continuum Summit.
