Yao Ming announces retirement from basketball
Yao Ming honored as model of youth at farewell ceremony
Yao Ming retired from the Chinese national basketball team Monday at an unprecedented farewell ceremony held by the Chinese sports governing body.
Yao Ming´s farewell conference
Yao Ming has made it official, telling a packed news conference in his hometown that a series of injuries have forced him to retire from basketball.
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Video of Yao Ming
[WATCH VIDEO]Yao´s next step: Into college
Yao Ming´s achievements range far beyond basketball. But the Chinese superstar´s primary focus has always been on the court.
[WATCH VIDEO] Yao Ming´s speech at press conference
Yao Ming has made it official, telling a packed news conference in his hometown that a series of injuries have forced him to retire from basketball.
Profile
Reflections
"Yao Ming has been a transformational player and a testament to the globalization of our game."
David Stern - NBA commissioner
Kobe Bryant - A multi-time NBA MVP with 5 championship rings
Yao was "a very good companion" who "opened many doors" in China.
Luis Scola - Teammate of Yao at Houston Rockets
Li Zhangming - Yao´s first coach
Yao's Illness
Yao´s first major injury occurred during the 2008-2009 playoffs, just as he was seemed to be reaching his peak. A hairline fracture in his left foot, which required surgery, would sideline the Chinese for the entire next season.
After months of hard work and rehab, Yao would return to the Rockets line-up at the start of the 2010-2011 season.But it wouldn´t be long, only five games into his season, when another injury occurred, this time a stress fracture to his left ankle.
When healthy, Yao Ming was one of the most dominant players in the NBA...but as his career progressed his injuries increased. And in the end, it was a brittle left foot that would cut down China´s greatest basketball export in the prime of his career.
No professional athlete has ever been immune to injury, and China´s Yao, is no different. More>>
Yao's NBA Statistics
A multifaceted Man
Yao is married to Ye Li, a women´s basketball player for China. He met her when he was 17 years old.
Yao bought his mother team in the summer of 2009 and had watched all Shanghai´s three matches to boost the local audiences.
The Yao Ming Foundation has so far committed to rebuilding five schools in the earthquake region.
Yao's Glorious Time
Yao played for Shanghai team from 1997 to 2002, and he led the team 3 times into the CBA playoff finals and won the only champion for Shanghai in 2002.
Yao led the Chinese team to three straight Asian Championships in the early part of the century.
The Rockets selected Yao with the first pick of the draft on June 27, 2002.
At the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Yao led the Chinese team into the quarter-finals -- the best ever results for the country at the Olympics.
Yao Ming was China´s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremonies of Beijing and Athens Olympics.
