Yao Ming Retires from the NBA

Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets has decided to retire from the NBA. It's an unspectacular ending to a career that was marred with injuries, and it always seemed like Yao was one season away from becoming a real superstar. Now the most famous Chinese basketball player of all time will walk away from the game without fulfilling all of the promises that his size could have brought to the game.

ESPN reported on Saturday that Yao's contract had expired at the end of the last season, and that he wasn't going to be returning to the Rockets. He only managed to play five games last year after missing all of the 2009-10 season. Injuries certainly took their toll on the big man, and it simply became too much for him to deal with anymore.

As recently as May it had looked like Yao might be able to return to play for an NBA team again. Yao had been recovering from a surgically repaired ankle and the Rockets were interested in re-signing him if he could prove that he was healthy again. When he became a restricted free agent on July 1, it looked like he might just be waiting until the NBA lockout ended to sign a new deal. Now that seems to be a thought from the past, unless ESPN got it wrong about what Yao might decide to do next.

Yao Ming was the No. 1 overall selection in the 2002 NBA Draft by Houston, and immediately became a notable post player in the league. During his rookie season he averaged 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds while playing in all 82 games for the Rockets. He would play in all 82 games in the 2003-04 season as well, but that would e the last time he accomplished that feat while playing in the NBA. During most of his time in the league, he was also playing for Team China in the Summer Olympics and World Basketball Championships as well.

Yao's best season was probably in the 2006-07 NBA campaign when he averaged 25 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. It was one of three seasons where he averaged at least 22 points per game, and it helped the Rockets be a contender. Yao finished his career with 19 points and 9.2 rebounds per game to go along with 52.4 percent shooting from the field. At 30-years-old, he now appears to be walking away from a game that would have benefited hugely from his international presence for many more years.