- China’s basketball pioneer says goodbye: Yao Ming, an athlete whose in-game performance (occasionally dominant as it was) paled in comparison to his international impact on the game of basketball, has officially retired from the NBA. He measures up at a staggering 7’6″, and weighs over 300 pounds, a size advantage that served as his prime asset on the court, but may well have spurred the leg injuries that now force his retirement at the young age of 30. His dedication to his country may not have helped, either — he logged a grueling workload keeping up with both his NBA career and his obligations back home, notably when he rushed back from a broken foot to play for host-nation China in the 2008 Olympics. He’ll be returning to his homeland to work with his team from his pre-NBA days, the Shanghai Sharks. (Photo courtesy Keith Allison) source