Yao Ming Retires Officially; Photos from his Singular Career [Video and Pictures]

Yao Ming is now retired from the NBA.

The Chinese Houston Rockets center made the official announcement at a tearful press conference in Shanghai on Wednesday.

Yao was the first pick in the NBA from 2002, but was plagued by injury during his nine year career. He made the play-offs four times and played a total of 28 post-season games, with highlight performances against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz.

Yao is credited for Basketball's popularity in China. He still is one of the nation's most famous celebrities and it is no surprise that he made his announcement in Shanghai, rather than Texas.