Basketball: Injuries force towering figure of Yao Ming to retire

China's Yao Ming, who opened up the world's most populous country to the NBA and became an Asian sporting icon, officially announced the end of his basketball career yesterday.

The towering 30-year-old had been plagued by foot and ankle injuries towards the end of his eight seasons in the National Basketball Association, playing just five games in the past two seasons for the Houston Rockets.

"I am ending my athletic career and am retiring from basketball," Yao said through an interpreter at a Pudong hotel yesterday. "Basketball has given me so much. It has led me to a bigger and brighter stage to showcase my abilities."

Yao said injuries had forced him to retire. "This process has been quite lengthy. I got a lot of support from my family and friends in making this decision," he added. "When I started playing basketball, my parents told me, 'Do your best but one day things will have to come to a stop and you have to think about the next step'. So I have been preparing for this day for 18 years, although today comes a bit fast."

In 2002, the 7ft 6in, Yao became the first international player to be top pick in the NBA draft and wasted no time making an impression with the Rockets with his foot speed, positional play and silky shooting. However, it was the way Yao so easily straddled East and West that appealed to the NBA and its legion of fans, his laconic, easy-going manner and wit making people warm to him almost instantly.

The NBA also got a foothold in China thanks to Yao and saw a surge in television coverage and clothing sales in the country.

League Commissioner David Stern said Yao's retirement was the NBA's loss. "Since entering the league Yao Ming has been a transformational player and a testament to the globalisation of our game," Stern said.

A household name in China even before he blazed a trail to the United States, Yao is also known for his humanitarian work and uses his image to raise awareness about issues close to his heart. He donated $2 million to survivors of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and created a foundation to rebuild schools in the area.

As China's flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics he walked hand in hand with nine-year-old earthquake survivor Lin Hao.