杨澜中国日报首开英文专栏谈姚明

Finally, there is the evolution of Yao's mind. He has become a wise man who has devoted time and money into life after the NBA.

最终，姚明想通了。离开NBA后，将时间和钱财投入新生的姚明是明智的。

But the current CBA system is not so profitable. About 40 percent of the team's revenue comes from sales of broadcasting rights, but it still only barely covers the operating costs. The rest comes from ticket sales, a maximum of 4 million yuan, when operating costs are about 27 million. Sales of merchandise and sponsorship makes up the deficit.

然而目前中国篮球盈利状况不佳。40%的收入来自卖出收视权，并且几乎不能覆盖支出。剩下的来自票务收入，最多不过四百万，而支出是两千七百万。周边产品的销售和赞助填补了赤字。

Yao said he does not see his investment in purely financial terms, but also as a way to support the development of basketball in China and return the favor to Shanghai for looking after him in his early days.

姚明说他看重的不只是财政收入，还想以此激励中国篮球，并向养育了自己的上海做出回报。

A few days before our most recent interview, Yao was asked to attend an awards ceremony for top athletes in China. He realized his superstar friends and fellow athletes were often forced to take low-paying jobs because they had little formal education.

最近一次采访之前几天，姚明受邀参加了一次中国顶级运动员的颁奖仪式。他发现同样是明星运动员，有的人不得不在退役后接受工资很低的工作，因为他们没有受过多少正式教育。

As boss of the Shanghai Sharks, Yao has invited both teachers and mentors to help his players better manage their financial futures.

作为鲨鱼队的老板，姚明聘请了教师和导师来帮助自己的球员好好把握“钱途”。

Another of Yao's problems has been balancing the knowledge he has gained in the NBA with the traditions of home.

另一个挑战来自如何将他在NBA学到的经验和本地实际情况融合到一起。

As head of the Sharks he has to consider what's best for his team, even if it means hurting some of his closest friends.

他必须为自己球队的利益着想，即使要伤害最亲密的朋友。

Navigating traditional Chinese society, he said, can be tricky at times. He sometimes wistfully thinks back to his early days, when he just played basketball. Even so, he never shies away from the challenge.

传统和人情有时候很难处理。姚明有时候会回想自己早前打篮球的时候，那时他只要心无旁骛地打球就行了。不过他绝不会躲避困难。

When I think about these five aspects of Yao's life, I admire him as an example of someone who is down-to-earth and has not let fame go to his head.

当我想起姚明生命中这五个方面时，我很钦佩他。作为一个名人，他能够做到平易近人，不会让名气冲昏头脑。

As Yao enters a new phase in his life, his 30's, fatherhood, returning to the NBA, and the next step in his career as manager, he shows the courage to make a difference in the world.

30岁的姚明又进入了一个新的阶段，当上父亲，重返NBA，掌管鲨鱼队，他向世界展示了自己能够大有所为的勇气。