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Former Chinese basketball star Mu Tiezhu dies at 59

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-14 20:54

BEIJING - Former Chinese basketball star Mu Tiezhu died of heart attack on Sunday noon. He was 59. Yao Ming saddened by Mu's death

Mu Tiezhu [File photo]

Mu, who stood 2.28 meters, two centimeters taller than Chinese NBA star Yao Ming, was one of the most famous athletes in China in the 1970s and 1980s.

The towering center joined the Bayi (Chinese Army) basketball team in 1973 and made it to the national team four years later.

Mu led the Chinese team to win the Asian championship in 1977, the Asian Games gold medal in 1978 and a 11th place in the world championship the same year.