Wang Zhizhi of the Dallas Mavericks, the first Chinese player in the National Basketball Association (NBA), will be honored with a set of legal tender stamps that will be unveiled for the first time in New York on Thursday, it was announced by the NBA and the Inter-Governmental Philatelic Corporation (IGPC) today.

This tribute to Wang is part of the Legends of Sports postage stamp series issued by the government of Liberia and produced by IGPC, the world's largest postal agency that represents more than 70 countries and regions in the world.

In recognition of his contributions to the sport of basketball and as China's first NBA player, Wang will be immortalized on a commemorative series of postage stamps that are legal tender and valid for postage globally.

"It is indeed a great honor," said Wang, "Not everyone is privileged to have a stamp made for them."

Liberia has a long tradition of issuing postage stamps to honor the achievements of major international athletes such as Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali, Pele, Joe Frazier, Floyd Patterson and George Foreman.

Wang, one of China's all-time greatest basketball players, became the first player from China to play in the NBA when he joined the Dallas Mavericks in April 2001. He was selected by the Mavericks in the second round of the 1999 NBA Draft with the 38th pick.

Wang earned the attention of the basketball world with excellent performances in the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games. In his first NBA season, he averaged 4.8 points, 1.4 rebounds in 7.6 minutes per game and scored a total of 24 points in five games.

Wang is one of the 51 international players from 30 countries and regions in the NBA.

"The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of the Government of Liberia is excited by this unique stamp tribute to celebrate humanity and to highlight the achievements of great athletes across the globe," said Yossi Malamud, the IGPC representative for Liberia.

The stamps will be available for sale across Liberia where postage stamps are sold and through stamp dealers and traders around the world starting January 3, 2002.

IGPC is assisting its members in the administration of their postal agencies, postage stamp design, production and worldwide distribution, thus creating unique annual postal programs for its clients.

As the leader of the postal industry, IGPC is the first to honor famed icons such as Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jordan as well as many other famous athletes, entertainers, scientists and authors on legal tender.

(China Daily January 2, 2002)