Yao was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the 2002 NBA Draft as the top pick.

NBA Draft Draft Rules

Age Eligibility

Must be at least 19 years old and 19 years old by December 31 of the draft year, or have graduated from high school for at least 1 year (i.e., the "One-and-Done" rule).

International players must be at least 22 years old to qualify for selection.

Lotto Draw/Lottery System

The 14 teams that did not make the playoffs participated in the draw, and the worse the record, the higher the probability of winning the lottery (e.g., about 14% for the bottom team).

The top 4 picks are determined by drawing, and the remaining picks are ranked in reverse order of record.

Draft Process

Early Entry→ Combine→ Individual tryouts→ Draft (June each year).

First-round rookies are guaranteed contracts, and second-round picks are required to fight for a two-way contract or G-League opportunity.

Rounds & Picks

A total of 60 people in 2 rounds, with the first 30 picks in the first round and the 31-60 picks in the second round.

Teams can trade draft picks (e.g., "future first-round picks").

Career Path

G League (Development League): A "springboard" for rookies or undrafted picks, which can be recalled by NBA teams at any time.

Players on two-way contracts: Switch between the NBA and G League during the season and play up to 50 NBA games.

MLB Draft Draft Rules ⚾

Age Eligibility

U.S. high school students can run after graduation; College students must have completed their junior year or be at least 21 years old.

International players can be signed at least 16 years old (but the international draft is separate from MLB Draft).

Draft Order

In reverse order of last season's record (no draw), the team with the worst record was awarded the top pick.

Competitive Balance Picks are allocated to small-market teams.

Signing Bonus

The signing fee for the first round can reach 5 million+ (such as 9.2M in 2023), but it needs to be negotiated with the team.

Going over budget could result in fines or loss of future draft picks.

Signing Deadline

The signing deadline is early July after the draft, and those who do not sign are automatically entered into the next year's draft pool (college players need to return to school).

Career Path

Minor Leagues tier:

Rookie (Rookie League) → A (low-level) → A+ (high-level) → AA (double A) → AAA (triple A) → MLB

40-man roster: You need to be added to the 40-man roster before entering MLB, or you may be poached by the Rule 5 draft.

Key Differences

Age Threshold:The NBA restricts 19+ year olds, and MLB allows high school students to go straight.

Development path: NBA rookies enter the league faster, and MLB players need 3-5 years of minor league training.

Draft size:There are only 2 rounds in the NBA and 20 rounds in the MLB (600+ players).

Signing rules: NBA first-round contracts are fixed (salary cap percentage), MLB bonuses are flexible but limited by the total pool.

✨ Whether it is the NBA's "star-studded development" or MLB's "long-term development", the draft rules have profoundly shaped the ecology of professional sports! ⚾