Can't say that Yao didn't give it his all at the deferment of his own body. Those who are made that he didn't give it another go need to read this. http://www.espn.com/blog/houston-ro...s-star-yao-ming-continues-to-have-foot-issues Newly inducted Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Yao Ming said he still has issues with a troublesome left foot that caused his career to be shortened, according to an extensive interview with Graham Bensinger, which is slated to air Thursday in Houston. “I can tell you my foot never came back to [how it was] before after my surgery in 2008,” Yao said in the interview. “Today, I feel this foot is almost completely numb on top of my foot. The surgery damaged my nerves. I feel less down there.” Houston Rockets drafted Yao with the first overall pick in 2003. He is credited with broadening the NBA game to China, and over the past week, the Rockets played the New Orleans Pelicans in a series of preseason games there. Yao, who lives in China, owns the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association and remains close with Rockets officials. When the Rockets drafted Zhou Qi from the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in the second round of the 2016 draft, GM Daryl Morey consulted with Yao. Yao’s inability to retire on his own terms irks him. In 486 career games spanning nine seasons, Yao averaged 19 points and nine rebounds per game. Health issues, mainly with his left foot, cost him precious time on the floor. “My first couple of injuries, pretty simple,” Yao told Bensinger. “Hurt my toe, fifth metatarsal, hurt my knee. Never re-injury. That’s good because it means those injuries are just accidents. My latest injury [stress fracture of left ankle in 2010] is re-injury, twice already. So that means that part is where something is wrong, even when they put a metal [plate] in to strengthen my bone. It’s still not natural.” The foot injuries halted Yao’s career at the age of 30 and raised questions about whether he had produced enough to earn a spot in the Hall of Fame. Yao was an eight-time NBA All-Star, and his impact on the game globally continues. When he played in Houston, the Rockets became one of the more popular teams, if not the most popular team in China. “Honestly, it is a surprise,” he said. “I think maybe I can play until 36, instead of being elected for the Hall of Fame at 36 years old.” Yao went in with an excellent class, headlined by Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson. “And from my opinion is that I don’t have the voting rights, and so I didn’t vote myself,” Yao said in the interview. “Somebody else voted for me, and it reflects me back to the first time I was selected as a starter in the All-Star Game, and everybody said Shaq should deserve that and not Yao. And I agree with that, but it’s not my choice.”
Man this is so sad. It really bums me out TBH. It's also what scares me about Porzingas. First of all people aren't suppose to be that big and tall and second both Yao and Porzingas are extreamly athletic and Mobile for their size. I'm really worried that what happened to Yao is what's going to happen to Porzingas. If I was his advisors I would not be adding any weight at all. Anything he does add should be natural with just getting older. Yao towards the end was a monster over 350lbs. While he was unstoppable in the post because of his size height and touch it hurt his career because it was just to much for Yaos feet. I always wondered if him having smaller feet mad it more likely he have foot problems? One things for sure we'll never see another Yao Ming. Nobody will ever come to the league with his size skill and bbiq. Dude was a freak and was just hitting his prime. No doubt in my mind we would have won the championship that yr if he doesn't go down against the lakers.
Yao was the man.... Dealing with my own nerve problems (at age 30 no less and the effect of hooping ****....) I can say it's no joke. It sucks and it's at the very least annoying to lose feeling along nerves. I hope he recovers eventually.
Porzingas doesn't play like Yao at all, not even a bit close. On both side of the court. He doesn't need to take those punishments. Even Rik Smits, lasted very long in NBA also.
He was forced to play and practice way too much for the CNT during the off-season. That is what shortened his career. A tragedy.
I wonder what yao's game could have been like if we used him in the high post, and didn't ask him to put on 100 pounds and bang down low. He's tall, can pass, and has an unblockable mid range. Nope.
If Yao had lower arches or flat feet, he would be 7'4 to 7'5 tops but would have had a much longer career.
I created a thread to the Graham Bensinger interview with a link to all the videos (including the one espn is referencing) a couple of weeks ago but it was ignored off the front page in less than 24 hours.
Wasn't it JVG that wanted to make Yao a low post monster and bang with the bigs? While he dominated there, always felt he never utilized his full potential skillset.
This is due to a combination of being overworked by the CNT and JVG asking him to bulk up. His body was never meant to carry so much mass, and since he never had an opportunity to rest it during the off-seasons, the problem compounded over time. That really sucks, but I'm also glad he decided to retire when he did instead of trying to give it one last go.
