Yao vs SHAQ no more....as YAO calls it QUITS with the Houston ROCKETS....but his impact on the NBA GLOBALLY will be everlasting.

It seem like yesterday when the MEDIA and everyone else involved built up the Shaq DIESEL vs a young 7'6" CHINESE Product named Yao MING.

But after numerous injuries in the last couple of years and FOOT INJURY that his BIG BODY just couldn't recover from......MING Called it quits today. The one problem is he couldn't even call the ROCKETS and tell them because of the LOCKOUT.

Even if you ask YAO about his LEGACY he would probably tell you the most important thing was trying to get to that elusive Larry O'Brien Trophy. But Yao's Legacy will be ever felt around the NBA and his fellow COUNTRY of CHINA.

From a BASKETBALL Standpoint.......YAO was HUGE in HOUSTON when he teamed up with an exciting backcourt of Steve "STEVIE FRANCHISE" FRANCIS and Cuttino "CAT" MOBLEY. Unfortunatley Houston's OFFENSE was based around those 2 guards in Rudy TOMJANOVICH'S Offense and YAO was the MAN clogging the MIDDLE.

Enter his 2nd Season YAO was in a New Offense with a new HEAD COACH.....Former KNICKS Head Man Jeff Van GUNDY. Van GUNDY centered the Offense around YAO and that YAO'S Numbers dramatically improve to where he was voted to his 1st All-Star Appearance.

His 3rd year the ROCKETS made the Blockbuster trade and sent FRANCIS ands MOBLEY to the O MAGIC for Tracy "T-MAC" McGRADY in a Blockbuster Deal that was suppose to put the ROCKETS at the TOp out WEST.

Unfortunately again neither one of these STARS could sty healthy enough to really ever takeoff like once thought of. Tracy's Knee Problems and YAO had numerous little ailments but at his frame became Bigger ailments.

With those issues YAO only played in 2 Full Seasons....and those were his first 2. Injuries caught up to YAO through most of 2005-2011 as he was never really able to be that dominant force he once was.

Looking at YAO'S STATS....Yao best PPG were the 2006-07 Campaign where he averaged 25ppg in only 48 games. His best Rebound per games Season was 2007-08 where YAO Averaged 10.8 rebs/g.

YAO'S Achievements are through the Roof and this is where he made a HUGE IMPACT in the FAR EAST and on the NBA:

8-Time NBA All-Star
5-Time All-NBA 2-2nd Teams 3-3rd Teams
2003 All-NBA Rookie Team
3-Time OLYMPIAN with CHINA

The NBA will and should give a HUGE Thanks to what YAO brought to the ROCKETS but a a whole the entire Country of CHINA was watching their guy Perform on the NBA Stage for all those YEARS YAO was a ROCKET. The ROCKETS should and probably will retire that #11 as he captivated a WORLD Audience like no other......except JORDAN.....Real Talk.

As for what YAO will do after this.......IT'S up in the AIR...but what ever the BIG Fella will do he has MILLIONS of People pulling for him.

NOTE: Ironically YAO and SHAQ retire in the SAME YEAR......who would have imagined that as YAO turns just 31 in September.