Yao Ming's Talkin' 'Bout Practice And Allen Iverson In HOF Speech

Yao Ming was the opening speaker Friday at the Basketball Hall of Fame inductions, and fittingly he set the bar very high with a killer punchline.

"When I heard that I would be the first speaker here tonight, I think that maybe somebody made a mistake," Yao said.

That line drew some laughs, but it was only part of his set-up.

"Don't laugh," Yao said, "because I think this spot belong to great Allen Iverson. You know why?"

Why?

"Because I need more practice than him."

Check out the video, including Iverson's reaction:

Yao's comedic skills were evident throughout his NBA career when he starred in commercials with Yogi Berra, Verne Troyer and Charles Barkley.

Aside from Yao and Iverson, other Hall inductees this year include Shaquille O'Neal and Tom Izzo.