Yao Ming, the first major Chinese star to break into the NBA, has decided to retire after nine star-crossed seasons with the Rockets, according to league sources.
姚明是第一个闯入NBA成为主力的中国篮球球星,据NBA联盟消息称,在休斯顿火箭队度过了九个霉运缠身的赛季后,姚明已经决定退役。

The 30-year-old center played just five games over the past two seasons and has determined that he is unable to make a complete recovery from stress fracture in his left ankle and tendon strain.
这位30岁的中锋在过去的两个赛季中只打了5场比赛,姚明认为自己已经无法从左踝应力性骨折和跟腱扭伤的伤势中完全恢复。

At 7-foot-6, Yao entered the league as the No. 1 pick in the 2002 draft and became literally and figuratively the largest symbol of the NBA's growing expansion around the world and particularly in Asia.
凭借其7.6英尺的身高,姚明在2002年的NBA新人中拔得第一高度,而且无论从哪种角度来看,他都成为了NBA在全球(尤其是在亚洲)不断扩大市场上的一个标志性人物。

Yao was an eight-time NBA All-Star and in five seasons he was voted onto the league's second or third All-NBA team. He averaged 19.1 points and 9.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocked shots in his career.
姚明8次入选NBA全明星阵容,5个赛季入选NBA最佳第二或第三阵容。职业生涯中获得了场均19.1的得分,9.3个篮板球,和1.9次封盖。

He arrived in Houston in 2002 as towering and iconic as the durable Great Wall of China, yet over the course of his NBA career Yao's image became increasingly fragile. After missing just two games due to injury in his first three years in the league, he was sidelined for 250 over the past six seasons.
2002年姚明来到休斯顿,高大形象犹如坚实的中国长城;然后随着他在职业道路上的推进,姚明给人的感觉却是越来越脆弱。在联盟的最初3年,他因为伤病而错过比赛的场次仅有2场,而在过去的6个赛季里他竟有250场比赛坐在板凳上。

Yao would have become a free agent at end of the current lockout and had spent months trying to rehabilitate his ankle for one more chance at playing. He has said his desire was to remain in Houston to play for the Rockets.
在最近的NBA停摆事件后,姚明成为了自由球员。此前数月他都在努力恢复脚踝伤势,希望能再次有机会上场比赛。他说过自己的愿望是留在休斯顿为火箭队征战。

However, he did not want to jeopardize his health for life after playing. Yao's parents were concerned enough about his welfare that they did not want him to attempt a return to the NBA after the broken bone in his foot that was suffered in the playoffs of May 2009.
然而,姚明不想因为比赛而危及自己一生的健康。2009年5月,当姚明在季后赛里骨裂后,其父母非常担心儿子的状况,不愿他尝试再次回到NBA赛场。

Following the birth of his daughter, Yao said: "I can only try so many times. I want to be able to run around and play with my child, not always wear a cast and use these crutches."
在女儿的出生,姚明曾说:“我只能尝试这么多次。我还想和孩子一起跑步,而不是绑着石膏、拄着拐杖。”