Metta Sandiford-Artest shares what made Yao Ming his most talented teammate outside of Kobe Bryant: 'He had skill you couldn't stop'

Metta Sandiford-Artest had his fair share of All-Star and Hall of Fame caliber teammates during his 18-year career. If it's up to him, though, Kobe Bryant and Yao Ming are at the top of the list. The 2004 NBA Defensive Player of the Year explains why in "The 25 10 Show" episode with DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy.

"It's between Kobe and Yao Ming because Yao's career ended short when he broke his foot," the 2010 NBA champ said. "I saw what he could do. We actually beat the Lakers Game (of the 2009 Western Conference semis) by 20, and then we went to Game 7; Yao was out four of those games. T-Mac hurt his back; he didn't even play."

"Kobe was definitely different, but the reason why Yao was so incredible was because he was big and dominant, and he had skill you couldn't stop," added the player formerly known as Ron Artest.

Bryant making the Artest list was not surprising, but featuring the 7'6" big man is worth discussing. After all, Yao rarely appears on the all-time list, owing to his short tenure in the league. How good was the 2002 first-overall pick?

"Would've been among the greatest"

Seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry knew a thing or two about playing alongside talented bigs, and he heaped high praise on the eight-time All-Star. While Metta discusses Yao's size and skill, Horry points out his basketball knowledge. According to Big Shot Bob, "The Great Wall" knew about past players he wasn't even aware of.

"He was so knowledgeable of the history of basketball, and I think that's one of the things that never gets talked about, his IQ, because of his lower body wouldn't have went out, he'd probably be considered one of the greatest because he could play. He was very skilled, very smart," Horry said.

"Like, what the hell, how you know all these old players? He's just going down the list, and he comes across a couple of players, and I was like, 'Who the f*** is that?' I don't even know who they are," added the Alabama native.

Yao was in the Association for nine years but played only eight because of a foot injury. Nevertheless, he immediately made his mark as an immovable force, averaging 19 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks. Despite these great numbers, there was a pervading feeling he could have done more if not for the foot issues he had to deal with each season.

Breaking Barriers

Perhaps more significant than his on-court contributions is Yao's cultural impact. "The Dynasty" was a turning point in the NBA's globalization efforts and ultimately unlocked the Chinese market. Brian Yang, a Chinese-American actor and producer of the documentary Linsanity, spoke about the center's effect on the casual hoops fans in China.

"Back then, people thought we were only good as bookworms and had no chance in sports. So when someone like Yao, who looked like us, became a star in the NBA, we were all mesmerized. Even my mum, who wasn't really interested in basketball, really wanted to watch Rockets games," Yang stated.

As a result, every Rockets game drew an average of 200 million viewers from China. Yao's game against compatriot Yi Jianlian in 2007 was watched by 500 million people in the country, possibly making it the most-watched basketball game of all time.

As talented as Yao was, his demeanor and pleasant attitude made him the perfect individual to open the gate and showcase the NBA to the people in China. Ming was a towering presence on the court. Still, his greatest legacy might be how effortlessly he bridged cultures with humility and grace.