20 animal-human matchups we’d like to see besides Michael Phelps vs. a shark

BEIJING, CHINA – MARCH 03: Yao Ming steps out of the Great Hall of the People after participating in the opening ceremony of the Fifth Session of the 12th Chinese People’s Political and Consultative Conference (CPPCC) on March 3, 2017 in Beijing, China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

8. Yao Ming vs. a giraffe

Yao Ming has been out of the NBA since 2010, but the Great Wall himself is still well-known for his massive 7-foot-6 frame. Sure, he’s not the tallest NBA player ever, but he’s the most notable tall person in basketball history, and it’s time to see him up against the tallest animal out there.

Ming obviously doesn’t come close to the size of a giraffe, which can top out at 18 feet tall, over twice the size of a single Yao Ming. Imagine the blocks the giraffe could pull off on any shot Ming tried to shoot on the court, and how easily a giraffe could dunk on the giant former Houston Rockets star, if he knew how to do so.

All of the logistics for this are a little bit off, but I’m sure you’d be able to train a giraffe to put a ball in a hoop, considering how simple of a task that is when you put it in those words. Once that happens, a one-on-one matchup with Ming is a necessity.

We’ve seen tall basketball players dominate on the court for far too long against people that didn’t have the same luck genetically. Now, it’s time for those same players to get a taste of their own medicine, and pick on someone bigger than they are.

After that, depending on how well the giraffe plays, we may see the Golden State Warriors try and add it to their roster to help contend for another title or two over the next few years.