The reforms Yao Ming and the Chinese Basketball Association are determined to implement will make the league more open and professional by emulating strategies perfected by the NBA.

CBA League (Beijing) Sports Co Ltd, which oversees marketing of the league under the association, on Friday released a timetable of improvements for the next five seasons, along with new commercial development plans.

Yao, an eight-time NBA All-Star center and president of the CBA, announced the league has been authorized by the State General Administration of Sports to exercise full authority over development and commercial exploitation, which means the CBA is now independent of the state-run system.