Yao Ming retires from the NBA

[QUOTE=ihatetimthomas]One of my biggest regrets is never getting to see him play in person. Great player, person and ambassador for the game globally. The NBA owes Yao Ming a lot for getting the NBA a worldwide sport. Always seemed so humble. Its a real shame because he was becoming a force in the league and I think he could have become one of the NBA greats if he just could have stayed healthy.[/QUOTE]
I got to see it... back in the day against the Clippers. Steve Francis took over and taunted the crowd. Blew the Clips out by 20. :facepalm

He looks bigger in person (6 rows back) than he does on TV, that's for sure.

Sad to see him retire. He was loaded with skills before coming to the NBA. Excellent footwork, court vision, and a great shooting touch for his size. A guy of his size aren't built to play non-stop basketball every year and ultimately doom his career. He was the only center that played Shaq consistently well in post 2000 era.

Rockets and Chinese government f***** him up. Played too many games for a guy with his body.

I know he's retiring, but he's not dead, so we can criticize him. Dude was never as good as he was supposed to be. He couldn't stay healthy. He never got out of the 1st round. He couldn't grab 10bds a game. He couildn't catch a ball on the move and make a play. He was slow.

He was a good player. A big draw. He was one of the top centers in the league when he played...but in alot of ways, he was a bust.

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]I know he's retiring, but he's not dead, so we can criticize him. Dude was never as good as he was supposed to be. He couldn't stay healthy. [B] He never got out of the 1st round. [/B] He couldn't grab 10bds a game. He couildn't catch a ball on the move and make a play. He was slow.

He was a good player. A big draw. He was one of the top centers in the league when he played...but in alot of ways, he was a bust.[/QUOTE]

i hate this argument. so tmac was a bust too i guess?


p.s. he did get out of the first round

What a failure he turned out to be. Not his fault, as when he was healthy he could be dominant, but still I (and everybody else) expected him to do much more in this league.

my bad - 2 of 8 yrs he hit 10 bds a game, in a 3rd he averaged 9.9.

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]I know he's retiring, but he's not dead, so we can criticize him. Dude was never as good as he was supposed to be. He couldn't stay healthy. He never got out of the 1st round. He couldn't grab 10bds a game. He couildn't catch a ball on the move and make a play. He was slow.

He was a good player. A big draw. He was one of the top centers in the league when he played...but in alot of ways, he was a bust.[/QUOTE]

Yao did got out of the 1st round. He did average 10reb a game on a couple of times. Yao is only averaging 32 minutes a game. What the hell are you talking about.

[QUOTE=rezznor]i hate this argument. so tmac was a bust too i guess?


p.s. he did get out of the first round[/QUOTE]

T-Mac wasn't a #1 pick. T-Mac wasn't supposed to be an evolutionary/generational player.

Yao came in with huge expectations - he turned out to be a better version of Rik Smits and Ilgaukas. Fine players, but not superstars.

wow this sucks he was one of a kind

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]I know he's retiring, but he's not dead, so we can criticize him. Dude was never as good as he was supposed to be. He couldn't stay healthy. He never got out of the 1st round. He couldn't grab 10bds a game. He couildn't catch a ball on the move and make a play. He was slow.

He was a good player. A big draw. He was one of the top centers in the league when he played...but in alot of ways, he was a bust.[/QUOTE]

Well as others said, he did get out of the first round back in 09' and did get the boards.

I would say he didnt get his full potential out of his career, but not a bust because he was a good player.. Injuries derailed his careers but thats hardly a knock to him personally. He was coming into his own before the bad injuries and was becoming a lot more agressive. When you look at his stats and career, you cant say he was a bust. His career was just cut short.

He was not perfect, but he had a lot of great assets. Great in the post, great midrange shot, solid footwork and great FT shooter. You can see that he really wanted to win. He was passionate about the game.

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]T-Mac wasn't a #1 pick. T-Mac wasn't supposed to be an evolutionary/generational player.

Yao came in with huge expectations - he turned out to be a better version of Rik Smits and Ilgaukas. Fine players, but not superstars.[/QUOTE]
Why huge expectations? Nobody that size in the NBA Was ever as good as Yao Ming. But Yao was suppose to come in and score 30 and grab 20 boards a game? What's the the logic here? From what I remember when was being first mentioned, almost everyone said he was going to be a bust. Then, when he proved he wasn't a bust, now he was suppose to be the greatest center ever? He went from being projected as a bust, to a 19/9 career player. I'd say that is pretty good.

[QUOTE=redhonda76]Yao did got out of the 1st round. He did average 10reb a game on a couple of times. Yao is only averaging 32 minutes a game. What the hell are you talking about.[/QUOTE]

He made it out of the 1st round once, averaged 10bds twice. I'm not calling him garbage but his play didn't earn him all those all-star nods, or his endorsements. He was a B+/A- player, who did not meet his expectations.

Called it when he first went down against LA. This just goes to show how a relatively small injury can turn extremely serious and end ones career. He's only 30 years old. What a shame.

FWIW...he was the best Center in the league for a few years and NOBODY ever took that title from him.

[QUOTE=SCREWstonRockets] I'd say that is pretty good.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, "pretty good" exactly. Not starting all-star. Not #1 pick. Not #1 pitch man.

He was pretty good. We agree.

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]Yeah, "pretty good" exactly. [B] Not starting all-star[/B].[B] Not #1 pick[/B]. [B]Not #1 pitch man. [/B]

He was pretty good. We agree.[/QUOTE]
dwight. yao. name me any another center who deserved to start over him when he was playing at his peak. (discount the years he got voted in while injured, i agree that was bullshit)

the only other player as good as Yao that year was Amare and guess what, 8 other teams passed on him as well. Yao was the obvious pick to make at #1 at the time.


Yao also bridged the gap between China (guess how many people they have?!) and USA. #1 pitchman is a no brainer.

[QUOTE=thejumpa]Called it when he first went down against LA. This just goes to show how a relatively small injury can turn extremely serious and end ones career. He's only 30 years old. What a shame.

FWIW...he was the best Center in the league for a few years and NOBODY ever took that title from him.[/QUOTE]

Which years was he the best center? Wasn't Shaq always the best center until Dwight. Hell, Amare playing C in Phx was better.

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]Yeah, "pretty good" exactly. Not starting all-star. Not #1 pick. Not #1 pitch man.

He was pretty good. We agree.[/QUOTE]

Does a pretty good player mean a bust? Not in my books.

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]He made it out of the 1st round once, averaged 10bds twice. I'm not calling him garbage but his play didn't earn him all those all-star nods, or his endorsements. He was a B+/A- player, who did not meet his expectations.[/QUOTE]

What expectations are you expectting? When Yao was drafted #1, everyone was saying he will be a bust. No one was expecting him to be a 20/10 guy. Experts were saying the game is too fast for him and he is not strong enough to play the game. Like many foreign players, it took time to adjust the rules of the game. You expect a 7'6 guy to get 30/20?? Name me a player of Yao's height made an impact or the skills that he have?
His career was cut short due to injuries which was beyond his control.

He gave the rockets some good years, lets leave it at that. :confusedshrug:

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]Which years was he the best center? Wasn't Shaq always the best center until Dwight. Hell, Amare playing C in Phx was better.[/QUOTE]
no. it was shaq, then yao for a short time, now dwight.

[QUOTE=rezznor]dwight. yao. name me any another center who deserved to start over him when he was playing at his peak. (discount the years he got voted in while injured, i agree that was bullshit).[/QUOTE]

There was never a moment in either of their careers when a healthy Amare wasn't >> a healthy Yao.

[QUOTE=rezznor]Yao also bridged the gap between China (guess how many people they have?!) and USA. #1 pitchman is a no brainer.[/QUOTE]

Ok - so this means his play merited the attention he received?

[IMG]http://www.sfgate.com/blogs/images/sfgate/warriors/2007/04/30/BARKLEY_PAYS_UP320x248.jpg[/IMG]

i wonder if barkley still thinks yao was a bust

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]Which years was he the best center? Wasn't Shaq always the best center until Dwight. Hell, Amare playing C in Phx was better.[/QUOTE]

05 on....most complete offensive game, good enough rebounder, great passer, played decent defense. Shaq was way past his prime and Dwight was too raw of a player. Amar'e playing C in Phx was never the best anything. Ever.

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]There was never a moment in either of their careers when a healthy Amare wasn't >> a healthy Yao.



Ok - so this means his play merited the attention he received?[/QUOTE]


of course it does. do you even know what a pitchman does? :facepalm

[QUOTE=rezznor]no. it was shaq, then yao for a short time, now dwight.[/QUOTE]

What year was Yao better than Shaq?

Yao's best year was 06-07, when he played 50 games. Howard played 82, scored a little less, but did everything else better.

Yao was NEVER the best C in the game.

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]What year was Yao better than Shaq?

Yao's best year was 06-07, when he played 50 games. Howard played 82, scored a little less, but did everything else better.

Yao was NEVER the best C in the game.[/QUOTE]

:oldlol:

Amar'e playing C in PHX was better than Yao.....:oldlol:

sad :(

[QUOTE=thejumpa]05 on....most complete offensive game, good enough rebounder, great passer, played decent defense. Shaq was way past his prime and Dwight was too raw of a player. Amar'e playing C in Phx was never the best anything. Ever.[/QUOTE]

05? There was one season where he played 70 games post-05. Howard was already better, Shaq was still better.

But I'm interested in the Amare theory -- how was Yao better...I'm sure its going to be a defense answer, because if Yao was one thing, it was GREAT on defense (keep beleiving that).

[QUOTE=rezznor]of course it does. do you even know what a pitchman does? :facepalm[/QUOTE]

Please explain how the play of the -- at his very best 15th best player in the league -- merits being the #1 TV personality for the league. Seems ot be a 15 place disparity.

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]Yeah, "pretty good" exactly. Not starting all-star. Not #1 pick. Not #1 pitch man.

He was pretty good. We agree.[/QUOTE]

At his peak, who should have started over Yao?

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]Which years was he the best center? Wasn't Shaq always the best center until Dwight. Hell, Amare playing C in Phx was better.[/QUOTE]

Shaq then Yao then Dwight. It was never Amare.

Amare took the All NBA team over Yao was because Yao missed too many games.

06-07 - Amare 1st team - Yao only played 48 games
07-08 - Amare 2nd team - Yao only played 55 games

Amare was horrible on the defensive end. Even to this day, Amare can't play a lick of defense and is a horrible rebounder.

:cry:

This guy was easily becoming the best center in the league. He had stretches of games (before injuries) where he was just destroying the competition. Goddamn.

[QUOTE=Joey Zaza]05? There was one season where he played 70 games post-05. Howard was already better, Shaq was still better.

But I'm interested in the Amare theory -- how was Yao better...I'm sure its going to be a defense answer, because if Yao was one thing, it was GREAT on defense (keep beleiving that).[/QUOTE]

When did I say Yao was great on defense? I'll wait.

Howard in his 2nd year was better than Yao? Really? Because I watched a lot of ball back then and never heard anyone saying he was better. Sure, they were compared, but anyone could tell that Dwight didn't have the moves to compete with Yao. Dwight wasn't on some elite level defensively back then either.

You can't be serious about Amar'e. Sure, he was the best PF for a short period of time, but never the best C. That's a fact. He was(and still is) a black hole on defense and has never been able to pass like Yao. Didn't have the footwork...couldn't shoot like him. His game is strictly power and athleticism-based. Nothing wrong with that, but not worthy of a best C in teh game title. That goes to real centers...you know, guys who are actually interested in playing defense and rebounding.

[QUOTE=DuMa]sad :([/QUOTE]
Why sad? Look at your avy. He is happy!!

For the part that he has never achieved for the bigger things for the Rockets rather than reaching the second round in the playoff, you can blame that on T-Mac. :oldlol: :oldlol: :oldlol:

[QUOTE=kaiteng]Why sad? Look at your avy. He is happy!![/QUOTE]

at least he will go down as a meme
[IMG]http://www.massaveio.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/yao-ming-meme.png[/IMG]

[QUOTE=thejumpa]Howard in his 2nd year was better than Yao? Really? Because I watched a lot of ball back then and never heard anyone saying he was better. Sure, they were compared, but anyone could tell that Dwight didn't have the moves to compete with Yao. Dwight wasn't on some elite level defensively back then either..[/QUOTE]

Dwight was better defensively, on the bds and, while he didn't have the jumperthat Yao had, jumper is basically all Yao has on Dwight.

[QUOTE=thejumpa]You can't be serious about Amar'e. Sure, he was the best PF for a short period of time, but never the best C. That's a fact. He was(and still is) a black hole on defense and has never been able to pass like Yao. Didn't have the footwork...couldn't shoot like him. His game is strictly power and athleticism-based. Nothing wrong with that, but not worthy of a best C in teh game title. That goes to real centers...you know, guys who are actually interested in playing defense and rebounding.[/QUOTE]

Amare was never the best C, neither was Yao, went from Shaq to Dwight. But healthy Amare was always > healthy Yao.

This Amare on D may be a "black hole" but Yao was a tunrstile. He didn't move his feet, he wasn't fast enough to guard anyone. he could block shots, but so can amare. I honestly don't see the difference between the two in that area.

I'm really surprised to see this. I figured if he didn't retire last year or the year before he'd give it a go again. I guess his recovery didn't go they planned.

I really was expecting him to go to a team on a one year deal this summer and have a really strong bounce back year. I think he was probably planning on tht but he probably didn't heal enough and needed another surgery or something and just said "f##k it"

Sucks to see him finally go but it's best for his healthy and his family.