Intro:

Lao Ming has persuaded six colleagues from the NBA to join him for a charity basketball match.

The former Houston Rockets centre's team will take on China in Beijing on July 1st

Script:

Yao Ming has managed to rope in six NBA buddies in Beijing for a match against the Chinese national team to raise money for his charity.

The location will be the venue which hosted the Olympic basketball in 2008 and the date will be July 1st.

And we even know the big winner - the Yao Foundation, set up by the giant former Houston Rockets centre.

"I think all the kids we are helping need us to see them as equals. Charity is not just giving, more important is the attitude of giving. We should not do charity work by simply giving from the higher level to the lower ones. We should try to provide opportunities for them. As a traditional Chinese proverb says it is better to teach people fishing than just giving them fish."

On the team, Metta World Peace, formerly known as Ron Artest, who used to be a team-mate of Yao's in Houston.

"It's good to be here back in China on behalf of Yao - he has a great Foundation. I played with Yao in Houston. He was a superstar not only because he is from China but just because he was a superstar, very unselfish and this trend carries over to a charity game and his foundation."

Also in are Kyle Lowry, George Hill, Luis Scola, Tracy McGrady and Chicago Bulls centre, Joakim Noah:

"It's a unbelievable honour to be here and this is my first time in China and to be able to be a part of this for Yao and his Foundation and doing this for the kids coming from very far, you know, from New York city to be able to do something like this is very special and to me to do it for Yao's cause it means a lot, playing against a National team, you know Yi (points to Jianlian) we came to NBA together, so a lot of familiar faces as well."

China will no doubt also be using the match as preparation for the 2013 FIBA Asian Championships to be played in Manila in early August.