NBA Commissioner Adam Silver gives his thoughts on Yao Ming, Kobe Bryant, and NBA in India at his annual State of the Game remarks in Toronto, Canada on Saturday (13th February).

SOUNDBITE (English): Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner:

"Kobe [Bryant]: sort of his emergence came about sort of in the beginning of the days of a strong digital media presence of the NBA. That's now been complemented by enormous social media community, and I think Kobe's [Bryant] been at the center of that. So he will be missed in the league. In addition to being a great player, he's punched way above his weight in terms of the impact he's had on the global expansion of the NBA.

"I've heard from several of our players who travel to India often with their shoe companies for summer tours and they come back saying I had no idea that so many, especially young people, were familiar with the NBA, knew them firsthand. So I'm sure India is a market that we're going to be spending increasing amounts of time on developing our game.

"We hosted a Special Olympics game today. Again, just an incredible moment. It was Special Olympics basketball players participating with former NBA players, and there was Yao [Ming] coaching on the sidelines and motivating those kids. So I mean, that's who he is. I mean he's truly a global basketball icon. His career was cut short, and I think he didn't achieve everything he wanted to the floor, but I have no doubt that over a long life, he's going to end up probably having as great an impact on this game as anyone who has ever played."