Houston Rockets center Yao Ming retired from the NBA today after another injury filled season. Yao, who was the number one overall draft pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, informed league officials within the last 48 hours that he was planning on retiring from the NBA.
Yao’s main problem has been a foot injury that he sustained against the Los Angeles Lakers during Game 3 of the 2009 Western Conference Semi-Finals. Since then Yao has missed nearly two full seasons, coming back briefly in 2011 before being forced to shut it down for good.
When Yao was on the court he was one of the most productive centers in the league. No other player was able to match his size and touch, as he was certainly a revolutionary player.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1OKwefp1jk
Some of our favorite memories of Yao have been his classic commericals off the court:
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAYctXwqgFU
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubHSgtwLolE
To give this a Lakers twist we will share one of Yao’s less favored memories, as he was dunked on by Lakers guard Kobe Bryant in impressive fashion.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Trkzcuhp4xA
