Houston Rockets center Yao Ming announces his retirement in Shanghai, China, and thanks Rockets fans on July 19, 2011.  Below is the video of the retirement with his words translated into English:

“This will be just a comma, not a period,” Yao promised. “I will not leave basketball, I have many things to do.”

“I would like to thank you for giving me a great nine years during my NBA career,” Yao told Rockets fans. “Nine years ago I come to Houston as a young, tall, skinny player. The entire city and team changed me into a grown man.”

[youtube width=”640″ height=”390″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K3QBtVVyP8[/youtube]

via CBS Sports