According to ESPN.com, former Houston Rockets star center Yao Ming has resigned as head of the Chinese Basketball Association.

The board of directors did not reveal the reason for Yao’s departure.

The 42-year-old was appointed to help commercialize the 20-team league in 2017, his leadership instrumental in drawing in foreign talent and raising the profile of Chinese basketball domestically and overseas.

Despite Yao’s efforts, the CBA continues to be negatively impacted by uncertain ownership structures, government interference, and allegations of corruption. Last month saw managers and coaching staff from the Jiangsu Dragons and Shanghai Sharks banned from the league for up to five years following an investigation into suspected match-fixing after a series of turnovers resulted in a come-from-behind victory for the Sharks in the league finals.

Replacing Yao is Xu Jicheng, a sports journalist who has served on committees managing the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2022’s Winter Games. 

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