Yao has been one busy guy lately. Today he was named the UN Environment Program’s (UNEP) first ever Environmental Champion.

Here’s his statement:

“As a sportsman, I believe sport has a major role to play in promoting environmental issues. So I will work with young people across the world and try to inspire them to plant trees, use energy efficient light bulbs, harvest rain water and to become environmental champions in their own communities.

“As the world celebrates the Beijing Olympic Games, I would also like to call upon the organizers of all major sports events in the world to make sure they use public transport facilities, build proper waste management systems and use greener forms for energy.

“Please join me in this global team effort.”

Here’s a link to the article.

It’s good to see that the USA basketball team is extremely excited about their game against China on Sunday, both teams’ first game of the Olympics.

Carmelo Anthony is stoked. “I think close to 3 billion people are going to be watching that game,” said Anthony. “That’s what they say. That’s what I hear. That’s a lot of people.

“The atmosphere is going to be crazy. We’re playing against the home team to open up the Olympics, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to be crazy and energetic in there. Everybody in that building is going to be jumping. It’s the biggest game on the biggest stage in the world.”

Chris Paul said, “Just thinking about this first game now, you get goose bumps. It’s something we’ll be able to tell our kids and our grand kids that we took part in the largest sporting event ever.”

Jason Kidd is also excited: “It’s going to be exciting. You can take a Game 7 and (multiply) it by seven. It’s going to be something that nobody’s experienced before. I don’t know if anybody’s had a president come to a game to watch them play before.”

Of course, Yao Ming is excited, too. “I will have to take a breath at the beginning of this game,” said Yao. “It is the start of the first Olympic Games to be played in China. It is the event that my country and I have been looking to for seven years, since Beijing was awarded the Games.

For the entire article, click here.