Quick Look
- Yao Ming, a prominent Chinese NBA star and three-time Olympian, formally announced his retirement from competitive basketball in Shanghai on July 20, 2011, citing persistent injuries.
- He described the move as "a comma, not a full stop," hinting at future plans.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Yao Ming, a three-time Olympian and NBA star, formally announced his retirement from competitive basketball on July 20, 2011, after being plagued by injuries, including a stress fracture in his left foot. He had only played five games for the Houston Rockets in the past two seasons.
Yao Ming, one of China’s first truly international sports stars, yesterday formally announced his long-awaited retirement from competitive basketball, but insisted the move was “a comma, not a full stop”.
“Today I need to make a personal decision as a basketball player,” the NBA star and three-time Olympian told a packed press conference in his hometown of Shanghai that was broadcast live on national television and streamed on the internet. “I will stop my basketball career and retire.”
Yao, 30, has been plagued by injuries and only played five games for the Houston Rockets in the past two seasons. He had been widely tipped to retire after suffering a stress fracture in his left foot in December. “The past six months have been a very painful wait for me,” he said.
While Yao repeatedly mentioned plans for the future, he kept his cards close to his chest as what his next move would be.
“I have been preparing for this day for the past 17 or 18 years,” he said. “It has come fast, very fast, but I have been preparing for it.”
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Yao Ming will pursue future plans he has been preparing for.
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What are Yao Ming's specific future plans?
- What will be the impact on the Houston Rockets?
