Full transcript of Yao Ming's statement

姚明：大家好，各位领导，各位来宾，各位好，谢谢大家今天的光临。

Hello everyone, leaders, guests, and friends from news media, good afternoon, and thanks for coming.

今天对我来说是重要的日子，无论对我以及以往的篮球职业生涯，还是未来个人发展，都具有特殊的意义。

Today is an important day for me. For myself, my basketball career and the personal growth in the future, it has a particular meaning.

去年年底，我的左脚第三次应力性骨折，我不得不离开赛场，半年多以来和很多关心的朋友一样，我也是在漫长的期待中渡过，在那段时间内心十分纠结，反复思考，为此今天宣布一个个人的决定，作为篮球运动员，我将结束自己的运动生涯，正式退役。

At the end of last year I broke my left foot for a third time. I had to leave the basketball court, and spent the last half of the year waiting, just as many of those who care about me. During that period, I struggled a lot in my heart and thought a lot. Now I am going to announce a personal decision: I am going to end my career as a basketball player and officially retire.

此时此刻，回顾过去，展望未来，我的内心充满感激。

Looking back on the past and right into the future, I am deeply grateful.

我首先要感谢的是篮球这项伟大的运动，为无数人带来了快乐，包括我自己。我4岁的时候有了第一个篮球，9岁进入上海市体校，14岁进入上海训练队，16岁背上我父亲当年的号码，代表上海队比赛。篮球使我延续家庭的传承，每当我看到父母欣慰的眼神，都感到无比自豪。我也非常荣幸有幸能够和上海大鲨鱼的队友为上海赢得2002年CBA冠军，和我们身后这座城市联系在一起。同一年在进入NBA之后，篮球引领我进入更宽广的舞台，使我尽情展现自己。我更要感谢能有机会为中国国家队奋战十年，那是无数青年人的梦想，同时因为篮球，与心爱人的结缘，建立美满的家庭，获得一生的幸福。所有这些都是无比热爱的篮球带给我的，我要感谢篮球。

First I'd like to thank basketball. This great sport has brought joy to so many people, including me. I had my first basketball when I was four. I entered the Sports School of Xuhui District of Shanghai when I was nine and entered the Shanghai Basketball Youth Team at 14. At 16, I began playing for Shanghai Basketball Team, wearing my father's number.

I inherited my family's tradition by playing basketball. I feel so proud every time I look into the eyes of my parents, who are proud of me.

I feel very honored to have the opportunity to win the CBA title in 2002 with Shanghai Shark teammates, which has linked us all to this city behind.

Basketball also led me on a greater stage when I entered NBA that year. I could play with all I had.

What's more, I feel thankful that I had the opportunity to fight together with the national team for 10 years, which is many young players' dream, and through which I got to know and married my beloved woman, and made a happy family and obtained the happiness of my life.

All of these are brought by my love, basketball. I want to thank basketball.

我还要感谢生活，无论是我所热爱的篮球还是别的东西，都是生活的一部分，我觉得生活就像一个向导，你虔诚追随他，会打开一扇一扇的门。今天退役了，一扇门关上，另外一扇门打开，门外有崭新的生活等着我认真品味。我虽然离开赛场，但是不会离开篮球，上海东方大鲨鱼篮球队是我篮球的延续，我正在用新的方式管理俱乐部，用这种方式为家乡带来快乐。我将继续投身于社会公益事业，姚基金是我个人的基金会，已经成立三年，接下来我会以此为依托，影响更多的人参与慈善事业，帮助更多的人。同时我希望结识更多的朋友，一起做喜欢的事情，相信在与各行各业的有识之士的交往中，我会学到更多的东西，丰富精彩生活，引领我从上海走向全国，从中国走向世界。所以我要感谢生活，今后我要认真对待它，这才是对生活最好的回报。

I would also like to thank life. No matter my favorite basketball or something else, they are all parts of the life. Life is like a guide. When you sincerely follow it, it will open one and another door for you and the world outside of them is so different and exciting. Today, I retired. The door of basketball is closed, but another door has just opened which will lead me to a new life waiting for me to experience.

I will continue to participate in social welfare in the future. Yao Fund is my personal fund, which has been established for three years. And in the coming future, I will take this as the basis and call on more people to get involved in charity and help more people. And at the same time, I wish to know more friends here and to do some things together with you.

I believe the exchanges with all of you will teach me more things that will also enrich my life and help me to start from Shanghai to the whole country, from China to the whole world, so I'll thank life. And in the coming future, to take it seriously will be the best reward to life.

最后感谢我的亲人和我所有的朋友，这里有一份很长的名单，由于时间的原因不能一一提及，只能选读其中的代表，希望你们多多见谅。首先感谢的是我的家人，父母是我人生的启蒙者，叶莉是我最好的倾听者，可爱的姚沁蕾是我的新希望。感谢教练，是他们培养我，见证了我每一步的成长，有启蒙指导李章明，李秋平，王群，王崇光，我在国家训练队的教练马连保指导，在国家队的历任教练王非、蒋兴权还有德尔-哈里斯、尤纳斯，还有火箭队历任教练，汤姆贾诺维奇、杰夫-范甘迪、里克-阿德尔曼，还有前任总经理道森，我还要感谢各位领导，特别是国家体育总局，上海市，中国篮协，上海体育局和上海文广集团和原上海大鲨鱼队的老板，他们的关心、支持和鼓励使我不断前进，取得今天的成绩。

At last, I want to thank my family and all my friends. I have a very long name list here, but for time limit, I can only mention some of you, please forgive me.

Firstly I want to thank my family member, parents, who are the enlightenment to me, Ye Li is the best listener, and my daughter Yao Qinlei is my new hope. I also want to thank my coaches, who have witnessed every step of my growth, including my mentors, all coaches in Shanghai Sharks, and the coaches in national team, in Rockets, and former manager.

I also want to thank all leaders, especially State General Administration of Sports, especially State General Administration of Sports, Shanghai Basketball Association, Shanghai Sports Bureau, Shanghai Wenguang Group and leaders from Shanghai Sharks. Their care, encouragement always drives me to progress and to get today's achievement.

我要感谢NBA和休斯敦火箭队的管理层，今天非常感谢他们的到来。他们的理解和支持，帮助我克服了文化和语言的障碍，让我可以在世界最高的联赛当中站稳脚跟，接下来要感谢我的队友和我的对手们，首先是刘炜，我们并肩成长，一起打拼，还有大郅，奥尼尔，是我追赶的目标和前进的动力，没有他们，我不是今天的我。范斌是国家队的良师益友。还有沈威，……以及所有和我一起奋斗过的队友，还有在CBA和NBA包括世界赛场上一起竞争过的对手们，一起挥汗如雨的难忘日子。当然感谢管理层姚之队，感谢章明基、陆浩……以及现在还在台前台后忙碌的人们，他们多年来帮助我做很多事情，我不会忘记。

I also want to thank the NBA and the Houston Rockets manager. Thanks for their presence, and thank you Daryl Morey. Their support and understanding helped me overcome the cultural and language barriers, enabling me to stand firm on the world's best basketball team.

I'd like to extend my gratitude to my teammates and opponents. First of all, Liu Wei. We have grown up together as teammates, and this will be the most precious experience in my life. Wang Zhizhi and Shaquille O'Neal, it is your presence that keep me endeavoring to catch up to you and you are always my targets. Without you two, I could not make such an achievement. I also want to say thanks to Fan Bin, my mentor on the national team and to Shen Wei, Li Nan, Mengke Bateer, Yi Jianlian and all my teammates at Xuhui District Amateur Sports School, Shanghai Youth Team, Shanghai Sharks, Houston Rockets, National Youth Team and the National Team, to my opponents in the games of CBA and NBA. It was indeed memorable days to play with you.

I also want to thank "Yao's team" (Yao Ming's business planning team) for all you have done for me over the years and I will never forget it.

我还感谢常年关注我的新闻界的朋友们，感谢赞助商和合作伙伴，和你们交往使我受益匪浅，还有各类的球迷朋友们，不管是黑还是绿，不管是国内的还是国外的，感谢所有关注我的朋友，大家的关心使我获得足够的信心和勇气，大家的批评使我修正了缺点和不足。

I want to take this opportunity to express my thanks to friends from the media, to my sponsors and partners, from whom I have learned a lot, and to my dear fans, whether you like me or not, whether you are Chinese or foreigners. The care from all of you gives me enough confidence and your criticism helps me improve myself.

今天提到的和没提到的，你们每个人都在我心里，总而言之，我感谢所有的亲人和朋友多年来的陪伴，我会继续做好我自己，不会离开大家！

All of you, whether I have mentioned above or not, will be in my heart. In a word, I want to say thank you to my family and friends for your company all these years. I will continue to be the best I can be and continue to be with you all.

姚明和朋友们永远在一起，谢谢大家！

Yao Ming will always be with you, my dear friends, thank you!

最后要感谢这个伟大进步的时代，使我有机会去实现自己的梦想和价值，我曾经说过有一天我的职业篮球生涯结束了，我希望它只是逗号，不是句号，今天这一天终于到来了，但是我没有离开心爱的篮球，我的生活还在继续，我还是姚明。我还有很多事情可以做，远远没有达到划上句号的那一天，祝朋友们健康快乐，祝福我的家乡上海，第二故乡休斯顿，我们伟大的祖国，让我们热爱的篮球运动拥有更加美好的明天。谢谢大家！

Finally, I will express my gratitude to the great and progressive era, in which I have a chance to make my dream come true and show my value. Once I said when my basketball career ended, it was just a comma rather than a full stop. Now the day comes, but I don't leave basketball, my life is still continuing. I am still myself, Yao Ming. There are a lot of things for me to do and it is far too early to say goodbye.

I wish you all a healthy and happy life. I wish my hometown Shanghai, second hometown Houston, my great motherland and I wish basketball a bright future.

Thank you very much!