China's basketball icon and former Houston Rockets star center Yao Ming has been nominated to the Basketball Hall of Fame in the International category, a historic event that could make him the very first Chinese and Asian player to receive the honor.

The Basketball Hall of Fame has made recent changes in the election procedure, including reducing by one year the wait time for the player's eligibility for induction to the sporting shrine .

Like Us on Facebook

The wait time was abridged from five seasons in retirement to four, as officials wanted to elude what has become a sixth year of waiting by the time the vote process is completed near the end of the NBA regular season.

According to an article of the China Daily, the Houston Rockets filed the nomination following the Hall of Fame's recent amendments to the eligibility requirements.

The rule change qualifies Yao, as well as other NBA legends, notably Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson, to be nominated for the Class of 2016.

Yao would not have been on the ballot for another year under the old Hall rules since the best recognized Chinese face in the sports came to retire only in 2011.

Yao is one of China's best known athletes, having played in the CBA's Shanghai Sharks for five years before becoming a dominant force in the NBA playing with the Houston Rockets in 2002.

Yao is the 2002 NBA No.1 draft pick. He was an eight-time All-Star and was named to the All-NBA second team twice (2007 and 2009), and was a three-time member of the All-NBA third team (2004, 2006 and 2008). He was also named to the All-Rookie first team in 2003.

He has three Olympic Games appearances with Chinese Men's National Basketball Team.

In July 2011, Yao announced his retirement from professional basketball due a series of foot and ankle injuries.

 According to the NBA's official website, the enshrinement ceremony is scheduled for Sept. 9 in Springfield.

Tagscba, basketball news, NBA 2015, Yao Ming, Shaquille O’Neal, Hall of fame, Olympic Games, NBA legends