Yao Ming Goes and Retires on Us!

Just like that, he did it! The 30-year-old worldwide sensation out of China has hung it up due to nagging injuries. Health plagued the career of Ming, who contributed tons to the Rockets, but never yielded any MVP or NBA Finals talk in 9 seasons.

Houston made Yao the No. 1 pick in the 2002 NBA Draft after the Chinese player wowed team officials in workout sessions and interviews. He made the All-Star team in every season in which he played a game — including last season, thanks to fan voting determining the starters. But he was also named to an All-NBA team in five out of his eight seasons in which he appeared in a game. Yao owns a team in the Chinese Basketball Association. It’s unclear whether he intends to attempt a basketball comeback outside of the NBA…