Yao's career now over — comma
Not period, as Rockets star will stay involved in basketball
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle
July 20, 2011, 10:23PM . 
PHILIPPE LOPEZ Getty 
Yao Ming's playing days have come to an end, but he's not walking away from the sport.sports,houston,basketball,chronicle sports,houston sports,nba,chron.com,rockets, Fans believe the Rockets have what it takes to get past the Lakers and whoever else is in between them and an NBA championship. Video by Jared Barnes. May 15, 2009.Stern defends officials, houston sports,nba,commissioner stern,chronicle sports,flagrant fouls,chron.com,basketball,rockets,sports,houston, NBA commissioner David Stern blamed game broadcasters for much of the confusion over controversial flagrant foul calls in this years NBA playoffs. Video by Jared Barnes. May 15, 2009.Game 6: Rockets stun Lakers, lakers,sports,rockets,houston chronicle,NBA Playoffs, Rockets coach Rick Adelman, players Aaron Brooks, Luis Scola, Kyle Lowry, Chuck Hayes & Carl Landry discuss Houston's 95-80 win at Toyota Center. The victory evens the series 3-3 and forces Game 7 Sunday in L.A. May 15, 2009. Video by Jared Barnes. Rockets-Lakers Game 6 Extra, sports,lakers,rockets,houston chronicle,NBA Playoffs,Los Angeles Times, The Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen and the Los Angeles Times' Mike Bresnahan break down Houston's 95-80 win at Toyota Center. May 15, 2009. Video by Jared Barnes. Rockets face must-win Game 6, nba,houston,lakers,chron.com,basketball,chronicle sports,rockets,houston sports,sports,playoffs, Rockets players and coaches talk about what went wrong in Game 5 against the Lakers and what they need to do to win Game 6. Video by Jared Barnes. May 13, 2009.Rockets Talk, houston sports,rockets talk,nba,chron.com,chronicle sports,basketball,sports,houston,rockets, Jonathan Feigen and Jerome Solomon talk playoffs and Clutch City karma. Video by Jared Barnes. May 13, 2009.Rockets-Lakers Game 5 Extra, houston sports,houston,rockets,chron.com,sports,chronicle sports, The Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen and the Los Angeles Times' Mike Bresnahan break down L.A.'s 118-78 win at Staples Center. Video by the Los Angeles Times. May 13, 2009.72 Hours in 72 Seconds, toyota center,chron.com,houston chronicle,houston sports,rockets,sports,aeros,chronicle sports, With the playoffs in full swing, the Toyota Center staff was busy hosting both the Rockets and Aeros last week. See a timelapse made from over 2,000 photos showing the changeover process to convert the arena. Photos by Smiley N. Pool. May 12, 2009.Rockets fans still believe, nba,fans,chronicle sports,houston,chron.com,basketball,rockets,sports,houston sports, Despite losing Yao Ming for the rest of the playoff push, fans still have faith in the Rockets and their ability to beat the Lakers. Video by Jared Barnes. May 11, 2009.Game 4: Rockets beat Lakers, sports,rockets, Rockets coach Rocket Adelman, players Kyle Lowry, Chuck Hayes, Shane Battier and Aaron Brooks and Lakers guard Kobe Bryant discuss Houston's 99-87 Game 4 win. Video by Jared Barnes. May 10, 2009.Rockets-Lakers Game 4 Extra, rockets,sports, The Chronicle's Jonthan Feigen and the L.A. Times' Mike Bresnahan break down Houston's 99-87 win at Toyota Center. Video by Jared Barnes. May 10, 2009.Yao Ming on season-ending injury, injury,yao ming,Houston Rockets,rockets,Los Angeles Lakers,sports,chron.com,chronicle sports,houston,houston sports, Yao Ming says the Rockets still have what it takes to compete against the Lakers after fracturing his foot in Game 3, effectively ending his season with Houston down 2-1 in the second-round series. Video by Chris Elliott. May, 10, 2009Fans react to Yao news, chron.com,sports,rockets,yao ming,injury,houston sports,chronicle sports,houston,Houston Rockets, Rockets fans predict the team will run a faster, more defensive-oriented game without Yao on the court. The team responds with a Game 4 win. Video by Chris Elliott. May 10, 2009Rockets-Lakers Game 3 Extra, playoffs,basketball,lakers,houston,chronicle sports,houston sports,nba,sports,chron.com,rockets, The Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen and the Los Angeles Times' Mike Bresnahan break down L.A.'s 108-94 win at Toyota Center. Video by Jared Barnes. May 9, 2009. Rockets drop Game 3 to Lakers, playoffs,houston sports,basketball,nba,chronicle sports,chron.com,houston,rockets,lakers,sports, Luis Scola, Carl Landry, Ron Artest, Kyle Lowry and Von Wafer talk about Houston's 108-94 loss to L.A. Photo by Nick de la Torre/ Chronicle. Video by Jared Barnes. May 9, 2009.Players discuss physical series against Lakers, sports,rockets,houston sports,basketball,houston,chron.com,chronicle sports,nba, Ron Artest, Luis Scola and Shane Battier talk about how physical the Rockets-Lakers series has been and what they expect from officials in Game 3. Video by Jared Barnes. May 7, 2009.Rockets Talk, playoffs,nba,rockets,chron.com,houston,sports,lakers,houston sports,chronicle sports,basketball, Jonathan Feigen and Jerome Solomon break down the Rockets-Lakers series thus far. Video by Jared Barnes. May 7, 2009.Rockets fans at Hooters, rockets,houston,chronicle sports,nba,houston sports,fans,chron.com,sports, Rockets fans give their impressions of the Rockets/Lakers series over a fine lunch at Hooters. Video by Jared Barnes. May 7, 2009.
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Wishful thinking 
Yao had begun to strongly consider retiring in December after another stress fracture was found in his left foot. In the months that followed, he said his intention was to return to the Rockets next season, but on Wednesday he described that as wishful thinking. 
 
Yao sounded eager to learn where his career will take him next. For now, after all the public focus on his decision, especially in China, as a culmination of a career spent as the center of attention, he looks forward to relative normalcy.