Yao Ming: How Much Will NBA Miss Former Houston Rockets Center?

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

Yao Ming is set to retire from the NBA, according to a Yahoo! Sports report.

Yao played eight seasons in the NBA, but last year he only played in five games. So how much will the NBA miss him?

The 30-year-old center won't be missed all that much. When he first entered the league the NBA loved having him. He helped the league expand in a global aspect, and nobody will ever forget that.

However, Yao missed a huge amount of time throughout his career because of injuries. His first two seasons were the only years of his career that he played a full season.

Yao has been a non-factor in the league for years now because of injuries. It became a staple to guess how long Yao would last for the season.

Rafer Alston, a point guard for the Rockets from 2005-09, told Adrian Wojnarowski that Yao could have been one of the best ever.

If he was never injured, he would have been one of the greatest centers ever. You can’t guard him. You had to foul him. He’s 7-6, so he has a height advantage. He had the jump hook over the shoulder.
If he was healthy we would have gone far. He would have been one of the greatest centers of all-time if he was healthy.

He's right, Yao could have been the greatest centers to ever play the game. Standing at 7'6", 310-pounds, Yao was a dominant force in the NBA.

It's a shame injuries ruined his career. Is he a hall of famer? That is quite debatable. He did wonders for the game in his early years, but knee injuries halted his career.

Altogether, Yao missed a total of 170 games in his career. Most people forgot about him last year, and they won't miss him that much next season. Well, if we even have a season next year that is.

Most recent updates:

Flag

Props (1)