What happens when two contrasting styles meet and form something rare? That’s exactly what unfolded between Cuttino Mobley and Yao Ming during their time with the Houston Rockets. From Yao’s arrival as the No. 1 pick in 2002 to Mobley’s trade in 2004, the two built a seamless on-court connection—Mobley with his smooth perimeter play, Yao with his graceful, old-school dominance in the post. Yao quietly rose to Hall of Fame status, but the real story was the bond they built. And now, years later, Mobley has opened up about a fear he developed because of that friendship!

While Yao Ming often came off as the calm, composed giant with a Zen-like presence, Mobley peeled back the curtain to reveal a more hilarious side of his former Rockets teammate. On Podcast P with Paul George, Mobley spoke with affection and amusement about their bond, saying, “I’m leaving Wednesday to go to China and I’ll be with him for five days—like one of my closest, like I love him, man. He’s just… the knowledge he has, just spiritual knowledge and the calmness about Yao for me, man.” But that calmness? Not always as smooth behind the wheel.

Mobley dove into one of his favorite stories, recalling Yao’s early driving days: “I remember when he got a car,..in China back then he couldn’t—you can’t drive, they had bikes and s—. And he got his first, he crashed that s— at the stop sign. I’m like, what the s—? He come to get me.” Years later, the tradition lived on. And the fear? Still something that rings his mind.

“I would go out there on my birthday, which is September 1st, and I would hang with Yao for a few days in Shanghai. So now we ain’t playing no more and I’m going out there and he comes and gets me in a Range Rover, dog”— Yao made a polite gesture and offered him a ride-“his knees, I’m like, you got a billion dollars and you can’t get a custom Range Rover? Both his knees up by [his chest], and all I’m thinking about is the crash. We nervous as s— in that car, I swear for goodness, dog.”

Yet for all the laughter and legend, Yao’s legs, ironically, were both his gift and his curse. The towering center’s decline began in 2005 when he was diagnosed with osteomyelitis in his left big toe—an inflammation of the bone that required season-ending surgery. The next year? A broken bone in his left foot. Then came a stress fracture in his ankle. It all added up. What once looked like a dominant, title-contending career slowly turned into one filled with rehab, setbacks, and what-ifs. But Yao, ever composed, isn’t bitter. Pointing to his feet, he added, “Of course, I was concerned about my future life. I didn’t want to end up in a wheelchair.” Retiring at 30 wasn’t the plan, but for Yao, health came first—and he walked away with peace.

Cuttino Mobley on the true greatness of Yao Ming

Cuttino Mobley may love to joke about Yao Ming’s sketchy driving and hilarious Range Rover rides, but when it comes down to it, he sees Yao as so much more than a gentle giant with a funny story. “I think the best part of his game is his stillness, his calmness throughout the chaos,” Mobley said on Fast Break with Byron Scott. “Thousands of people were yelling at him. Before the game, after the game, and midway through the game. Then, the language barrier, and being able to adapt to that.”

That poise, that ability to breathe peace into a storm? That’s what stood out most to Mobley. “Yao was super understanding, and when things are chaotic, Yao was calming you down.” But there was another layer Mobley didn’t want overlooked: Yao’s game itself. The man could hoop. Mobley swears fans only saw a sliver of what Yao was capable of on a basketball court.

“People don’t understand how amazing of a passer he was,” he said. “If we had Rick Adelman… Yao Ming, playing at the elbow, it would have been really hard to stop us.” And even Tracy McGrady backed that up. On All the Smoke, T-Mac called him “highly skilled,” praising his vision, passing accuracy, footwork, and shooting touch—“He had it, bro. He had it.” Yao’s 87% free-throw clip in his last full season? Just one more sign of how smooth his game really was.

Still, to Mobley, Yao’s impact stretched far beyond stats and systems. He saw Yao as the international blueprint. “The way Yao did it, he paved the way for all the Europeans… or overseas guys that were before him and after him,” Mobley said. “The way he carried himself, he was selfless. Everything was for his country; everything was for the NBA.” Even now, Mobley says, “Yao is very selfless. It’s not like, ‘Me, me, me.’ A lot of people need to take a page out of his book.”

So sure, Mobley will forever laugh about those knees jammed up in the Range Rover. But behind that smile, there’s real respect for what Yao stood for, and who he was as he spoke on haunting thoughts over forced retirement.