HOUSTON (AP) — Kasaysayan na lamang ang jersey number 11 ni Yao Ming – kauna-unahang Asian player na naging top rookie pick sa NBA.
“I slowly realized over time that’s the highest honor a player can achieve for themselves and for the team. I will always ask myself, ‘What is the story behind it?’ I hope people see the jersey there and remember the story. Not just myself, but my teammates, my opponents, we put a story together.”
Iniretiro ng Rockets sa simpleng seremonya sa halftime ng laro ng Houston at Chicago ang No. 11 jersey ni Yao.
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Sa taas na 7-foot-6 center, mataas ang naging pananaw ng NBA mula sa Shanghai, China native. At ang pagiging No.1 niya sa 2002 rookie draft ay isang desisyon na ipinapalagay ng Houston na biyaya sa prangkisa.
Walong ulit na napili si Yao sa All-Star Game at sa siyam na taong paglalaro sa NBA naitala niya ang averaged 19.0 puntos, 9.2 rebound at 1.9 block kada laro. Kabilang din siya sa iniluklok sa Basketball Hall of Fame noong September.
“It was really sad for me that his career was cut so short because I think if he had been able to stay on, we would have been able to win a couple of championships,” pahayag ni Rockets owner Les Alexander.
“He’s a great human being and a great basketball player.”
Si Yao ang ikaanim na Rocket na iniretiro ang jersey numer at ngayo’t kahilera sa Toyota Center rafter ng mga nagretiro na rin at basketball legend na sina Hakeem Olajuwon (No. 34), Clyde Drexler (No. 22), Moses Malone (No. 24), Calvin Murphy (No. 23) at Rudy Tomjanovich (No. 45).
Bilang pagkilala sa kontribusyon ni Yao, idineklara ni Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner ang Pebrero 2 bilang “Yao Ming Day” at inatasan si Yao bilang goodwill ambassador ng lungsod.
“Thinking back on the years I spent here, I just think of the entire team, organization and the city as a big family,” pahayag ni Yao. “I feel so welcome here, and tonight is very special to me.”
