"Former Rockets center Yao Ming could be taking the express route to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Yao, who retired in July after an injury-plagued career, has been nominated as a contributor to the game and will be eligible for induction as early as next year, John Doleva, the president and CEO of the Hall, said Tuesday.

By being placed on the ballot as a contributor, the 7-6 Yao would bypass the normal five-year waiting period for player eligibility. Under those guidelines, Yao would not have been eligible for enshrinement until 2017.

Doleva said a Chinese media member called recently to ask about different categories available for individuals to be considered for the Hall. After discussing with the Chinese Basketball Association and Yao's agent, the media member submitted a nomination form to put Yao on the 2012 ballot.

For a person to be inducted as a contributor, they must have shown a "significant contribution to the game," according to the Hall's bylaws.

A seven-member international committee will review Yao's nomination, Doleva said, with six votes required for election. Only one person is elected through the international committee each year, and Doleva estimates Yao would be among "10 to 14 individuals" considered.

"If you are looking at a contributor, you're looking at somebody's whole body of work, not just looking at the time he was on the court necessarily for the Houston Rockets or the Chinese basketball team," Doleva said. "It's really the whole body of work and the impact of his influence on basketball."

Doleva said the contributor category has been around "forever," but Yao's possible induction after just ending his career is unusual.

"I can't think of another player nominated in the contributor category, but then again Yao is very different," Doleva said. "It's unusual, but I think people can see the case for it."

Being on the ballot as a contributor would not preclude Yao from later consideration as a player, although election in both categories never has happened."