Yao Ming retires from the NBA

[L.Kizzle]

Probably top 25, could have been one of the true great center.

[chips93]

Never knew Shaq and Yao were good buddies.

maybe im just cynical, but i think shaq is just trying to stay in the news.

[Sarcastic]

Greatest Chinese center of all time. Maybe even greatest Asian center of all time.

[ThaSwagg3r]

It is a sad day indeed, but we all saw this coming sooner or later. It is probably best for him personally that he does retire. When I heard he was out for the season last season, I knew that his playing days were pretty much over.

Sadly there is such a thing as too much size in the NBA. You just can't have the man's frame and size while having a healthy NBA career.

He had the anti-LeBron personality, a personality that Kevin Durant has today. A humble and genuinely nice guy. The dude worked like a dog. He was one of the hardest workers the league has ever seen.

He is probably going to be the last dominant offensive center to play the game. A top 15-17 center to ever play the game.

Sad day, but it was coming sooner or later. Maybe he will give it another go. If he does, I hope he picks a contender not named the Miami Heat.

[BlazersDozen]

3 years too late

[Peteballa]

It seems with all of these players that died or had their career cut short due to injuries or other factors are always remembered as "could have been", "would have been", etc. Oftentimes they are later perceived as players way better than they actually were. For example, Sabonis showed potential as a young player and had injuries; he could have been better. However, people say things such as Sabonis could have been one of the greatest centers ever, which is mostly because it can't be proved false since he never actually played during his prime. Same thing with Len Bias; people say he could have been one of the best and his skill is glamorized, just because he was never actually able to show it.

Will Yao be remembered as a player that never dominated because his career was cut short due to injury? In 20 years, will uneducated fools be telling others on message boards that Yao was one of the greatest centers of all time, and would have dominated the league during the years he was injured and retired?

edit: 1,000 posts

[bizil]

With Yao retiring now I would say he's in the top 25-30 centers of all time. He had the potential to get in the 10 to 15 area though. U got:

Kareem
Wilt
Russell
Shaq
Dream
Moses
Robinson
Ewing
Mikan
Reed
Unseld
Cowens
Thurmond
Walton
Parish
Gilmore
Bellamy
Zo

Yao talent and size combined could be ranked around number 10-12 arguably. But he wasn't great long enough to be ranked that high. He and Bill Walton could have been way up there if not for the injuries. Even though Big Bill made the 50 greatest, he didn't belong on that list. At his best, Bill was right up there as one of the 3-4 best all around centers ever. But he wasn't great long enough. There had NEVER been a player at 7'5 with Yao's skillset and ability. Too bad he couldn't get it in and become as great as he could have been.

[The-Legend-24]

Who?

[Samurai Swoosh]

Yao is not a legend, you need to get smacked up for a statement like this, IMO

[AMISTILLILL]

There will always be these types of discussions. I think, along with the injuries, the supporting casts he had (yes, including T-Mac) will always be blamed for his lack of rings and individual accolades. It's likely cultural. Chinese kids growing up probably consider him a basketball messiah of sorts.

He'll be remember as a "what could have been" but he certainly didn't do his body any favors, placing extra strain on it playing for China in the off-season.

[rezznor]

Yao was great for the era he was in, but the era was weak.

I think he will be remembered more as an ambassador for the game

[AMISTILLILL]

Top 20, certainly. Probably #18.

[Peteballa]

Yao is not a legend, you need to get smacked up for a statement like this, IMO

Hahaha good job I can tell you understood the purpose of the thread;

The point I was making that Yao was merely a regular All-Star caliber player, a decent center; however, I was propositioning that people in the future might remember him as much better, and glorify how good he was simply because he got injured and ended his career shortly. It has happened many times.

You need to get smacked up for not taking the time to comprehend what the thread was about..

[SCREWstonRockets]

Man, sucks to see him go. Always wanted the guy to do good.

Houston, we are in our dark days again, like it was in the early part of the 2000s.

Even more fittingly, Yao came to the Rockets in those dark days. He retires and we're back here again.

[Rockets(T-mac)]

Sad, always wished he could win more, he's such a nice guy. The NBA is entering a new era, it's not going to be long before Duncan, Kobe, KG, Ray, Pierce, Vince all retire. I feel like an old man now....