Sources: Rockets' Yao set to retire

[CameronCrazy06]

Yao Ming, one of the seminal figures in the globalization of the NBA, has decided to retire after eight injury-plagued seasons with the Houston Rockets, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Yao, who missed all but five games of the 2010-11 season, hasn’t been able to fully recover from a tendon strain in his left leg. The veteran center informed the Rockets, the league office in New York, and NBA China of his decision to leave the game within the past 48 hours, sources said.

Yao was set to become a free agent once the league’s lockout ends. He was once poised to become the league’s dominant big man, but lower-injury injuries led to myriad missed games over the course of his career.

Yao, who was the top overall pick of the 2002 NBA draft, finishes his career with per-game averages of 19.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-wojnarowski_yao_ming_retiring_070811

 

[$tunna]

Per Yahoo!: “Rockets’ Yao Ming has decided to retire from the NBA, league sources tell Y! Sports. He informed the league office within past 48 hours.”

Dag, smh I feel bad knowing Yao could have been so much better if it weren't for the injuries

 

[RipCity32]

Damn. What could of been.

I feel like this won't be the last of Yao though. Maybe a full year off or something and he could comeback.

 

[SaintFan25]

Damn, such a great player but plagued by injuries. Sucks to see him retire but if his health is really that bad then I guess he's gotta.

 

[Elite]

Always felt he underachieved for his size. He should have dominating rebounding numbers.

Definitely had a great career though. Sad to see him go, too tall for his own good.

 

[elcheato]

Always felt he underachieved for his size. He should have dominating rebounding numbers.

Definitely had a great career though. Sad to see him go, too tall for his own good.

Rebounding has to do with positioning and movement when the ball is in the air. Yao can only do the first one lol.

But he was still a dominant player.

 

[RipCity32]

It's cause he enjoyed the jumper(or stander for him lmao) more than playing inside.

 

[Mooche]

Man.. It's kind of surreal that this career is coming to an end. Seriously. Fuck injuries. I feel bad for Yao.

 

[bestkeptsecret13]

Good decision by Yao. The guy has only played 5 games over the past two seasons, it was time to call it quits. It's too bad we never got to see him fully healthy, because in the prime of his career he was putting up 22-25 points a game with 10 boards, but only playing 50 games a season.

I remember watching this draft, probably the second or third I watched, I think K-Mart was the first one I watched. It's really sad what happened to Yao and Jay Williams. They should be in the prime of their careers, rather than out of the league. Mike Dunleavy is gonna have to hold it down for the top 3 in the '02 class. LOL

 

[jonathanlambert33]

He'll still make the Western Conference AllStar team next year.

 

[Pugz]

Sad day. Should have went down as a goat of a center. Still a great career for how short it is.

 

[cruzg24]

Damn I remember when all the talk was that Yao was going to take the place of Yao. Remember when Yao and Tmac were supposed to be an unstoppable duo? I remember those days....

 

[playmaker7]

Oh the what ifs that shall arise. He was a great player when he was on the court but he couldn't do it any longer. THis is the right decision in my mind. Farewell to a good career. The misery of injury...

 

[.infamous]

damn. Dude couldve easily been one of the best centers of all-time. Sad to seem him go, but it had to be done.

 

[BwareDWare94]

I'm still calling Yao the second best center Houston ever had. He was flat out dominant when he was healthy, so all those people who called him overrated just didn't watch the Rockets play. Yao was the reason Houston was on its way to beating LAL during the Lakers' first championship run. Then he went down with yet another foot fracture. This guy was such a presence on both ends. Fuck injuries.

 

[MR.ballin]

Right thing to do. Wish Yao the best of luck in the future.

 

[Pugz]

With the door to the NBA that swung open nine years ago closed to him, Yao Ming on Wednesday chose “a new life.”

Yao announced his retirement in a ceremony and news conference in Shanghai, citing the repeated injuries to his left foot and ankle.

“At the end of the last year, my left foot had a third fracture,” Yao said. “Today, I need to make a personal decision. I will stop my basketball career and I will formally retire. Today, thinking back and thinking of the future, I have been very grateful. First of all, I need to be grateful to basketball. It has brought happiness to many people including myself.

“Life is my guide. Just follow it and it will open doors. Out of each door, there will be beautiful world outside. Since I am retired, one door is closed. But a new life is waiting for me. I have left the basketball (court), but I will not leave basketball.”

its official. an end of an era. sucks he left so soon, his body just couldnt hold up. smart move. no shaq, no yao. dwight is left to eat up the paint lol

 

[Buffalo]

I loved watching him play. Sucks to see him retire the way he did. What could have been

 

[$tunna]

Yao could have been soooooo good. It was good but I mean, dude could have dominated the league his whole career through