Houston Rockets center Yao Ming said yesterday that he may decide to call it quits if his foot is not fully healed next season, according to ESPN.
“If the foot injury does not heal next season, I might choose to call it quits,” he said.
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“Yao Ming is working diligently on his return and has consistently received positive feedback at each of his scheduled medical checkups,” Morey said.
Yao, who was in China for charity events and remains wildly popular in his country, all but ruled out playing in the 2012 London Olympics.
“The chance is very small,” the 7-6 center was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency. “The foot injury will not allow me to play so many games anymore. Like I said before, I will quit the national team and the sport one day. It’s what happens to every athlete.”
Ming is one of the NBA’s best players and perhaps the best true centers in the league. Loosing him after just 481 career games would be a tragedy considering the potential that he had when he entered into the league. Yao is one of the game’s ultimate competitors but injuries have constantly derailed him from competing for a title. This may be the last “big man” we see as the NBA shifts to a more guard oriented league and as players like Dwight Howard (shorter than seven feet but much better athletes) take over the center position.
Another side effect if Ming retires: Shane Battier, Trevor Ariza and Tracy McGrady won’t be receiving 1 million all-star votes a year.
