Houston Rockets center Yao Ming is the most influential minority in basketball, according to Sports Illustrated.

　　Yao, the 7-foot-6 native of China, also weighs in at No 3 among the most influential minorities in all sports, according to the June 28 issue of Sports Illustrated. He trails only golfer Tiger Woods (No 2) and Arturo Moreno, owner of Major League Baseball's Anaheim Angels.

　　One spot behind Yao, 23, on the overall list of promotional players is fellow hoops phenom LeBron James, 19, who won the most recent NBA Rookie of the Year award fresh out of high school as a Cleveland Cavaliers guard.

　　Woods and James each sport impressive endorsement rosters, but Yao has been racking up his own ad work. In late February, the Rockets star hauled in another marketing McNugget when he inked a global endorsement deal with McDonald's.

　　Yao also has been signed as a pitchman for household names Pepsi, Apple Computer and Visa. Also in his trophy case is what Sports Illustrated calls a "Jordanesque deal" with Reebok.

　　The onetime king of sports sponsorship, now-retired Michael Jordan ranks No 34 on the new list of the most influential minorities.