Yao Ming
Age: 28
Center, Houston Rockets
Yao made history by becoming the first Chinese basketball player to land a lucrative NBA contract in 2002. The 7-foot, 5-inch star has been plagued by injuries, but he's still China's highest-paid celebrity thanks to his multimillion-dollar contract with the Rockets and his lucrative endorsement deals with Coke (KO), Visa (V), Nike (NKE), and others.
