This article was first published on July 21, 2011.
The Ming Dynasty is coming to an end
and Will Clem in Shanghai
Yao Ming, one of the first Chinese international sports stars, yesterday (July 20, 2011) officially announced his retirement from competitive basketball, but insisted that the move was “a stop, 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 news conference in his hometown of Shanghai that was broadcast live on national television and broadcast online. “I’m going to quit my basketball career and retire.”
Yao, 30, has been plagued by injuries and played just five games for the Houston Rockets over the past two seasons. He had been widely tipped to retire after suffering a strain in his left leg in December. “The last six months have been a very painful wait for me,” he said.
As Yao repeated his plans for the future, he kept his cards close to his chest as to what his next move would be.
“I’ve been preparing for this day for the last 17 or 18 years,” he said. “It’s come fast, really fast, but I’ve been preparing.”
