Film recalls Yao Ming's bounce into the NBA: Newbie since has become our favorite Chinese import

THE YEAR OF THE YAO Rating 2 out of 4 1/2

Featuring Yao Ming, Colin Pine, Rudy Tomjanovich, Charles Barkley,Steve Francis, Shaquille O'Neal, Cuttino Mobley, Glen Rice, ErnieJohnson and Kenny Smith

Endgame Entertainment and NBA Entertainment present a filmdirected by James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo. Running time: 89minutes. Rated PG, for some mild language. Opening today at theLandmark Century Centre Cinema.

Like most international businesses, the National BasketballAssociation has longed for a way to enter the lucrative China market,a country with as many basketball fans (270 million) as the entireU.S. population.

In 2002, the NBA got its wish in …