Yao will be remembered as a player for his size, skill and heart, but also for that snakebitten fate, for being a disappointment through no fault of his own. But fortune as in good luck, that's harder to find in the wane of Yao's NBA career.

He developed a deadly mid-range 'jumper' - he didn't actually jump on these because, well, he's 7'6 - and improved his post moves to the point where it's obvious he would have been effective even if he weren't five inches taller than every competitor (or seven or eight inches taller than most combatants).īut fortune? Fortune as in dollar bills came, sure Yao made almost $100 million in salary in the NBA, plus major endorsements in the United States with Pepsi, Visa and, of course, Nike. That's what seemed to mark Yao's career: he was a great player that got better. 2 all-time in free throw percentage among 7-footers. After three years, he was up at 85 percent consistently, and finished his career at No. Refinement came Yao entered the NBA as an 80 percent free throw shooter. He was almost the big man version of LeBron James, who'd be the following year's top pick: a perfect vision of a basketball player that just needed some fortune and refinement. 1 pick with no college experience in NBA history (see correction at bottom), let alone just the second Chinese-born player to hit the league, Yao faced huge skepticism from all corners of American media.īut the raw tools were something amazing: 7'6, strong base and core, impeccable court vision for a pivot, a jarringly some stroke and all the personality you could ask for in a star. No top overall pick came into the NBA with higher expectations or more question marks as the first foreign-born No.

Yao Ming is retiring from the NBA, ending a snakebitten but illustrious nine-year career with the Houston Rockets.

Yao ming next to shaq