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Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, the top overall pick of the 2002 NBA Draft, will retire after struggling with foot and ankle injuries in recent years, Yahoo! Sports reported Friday.
The seven-foot-six native of Shanghai, China, notified the league office and the Rockets over the past 48 hours, according to the report.
The 30-year-old missed all of the 2009-10 season after breaking his left foot in the 2009 playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Rockets had planned to limit his minutes last season to keep him healthy, but Yao was found to have a stress fracture in his left ankle that knocked him out for the season after just five games.
An eight-time All-Star, Yao leaves the game with a career average of 19 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks, with a field-goal percentage of 52.4.
Though he never reached his full potential on the court, Yao left an indelible mark on the NBA as one of the central figures in helping the league expand its popularity around the world.
from foxsports.com
The seven-foot-six native of Shanghai, China, notified the league office and the Rockets over the past 48 hours, according to the report.
The 30-year-old missed all of the 2009-10 season after breaking his left foot in the 2009 playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Rockets had planned to limit his minutes last season to keep him healthy, but Yao was found to have a stress fracture in his left ankle that knocked him out for the season after just five games.
An eight-time All-Star, Yao leaves the game with a career average of 19 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks, with a field-goal percentage of 52.4.
Though he never reached his full potential on the court, Yao left an indelible mark on the NBA as one of the central figures in helping the league expand its popularity around the world.
from foxsports.com
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