Beijing: Yao Ming`s expected retirement could diminish the NBA`s once-burgeoning popularity in China, with many fans saying they would no longer watch games.
"What`s the point of watching NBA now?" asked an online user called Lubingxia on Sina Weibo, a Chinese Twitter-like site.
An online poll on Weibo by Monday lunchtime showed that 57 percent of respondents would stop watching the NBA after Yao`s retirement.
The 7-foot-6 center is expected to announce July 20 at a news conference that he`s retiring from the NBA after nine seasons because of leg and foot injuries.
He boosted the popularity of the basketball league in China and throughout Asia, spiking merchandise sales and TV ratings for games after the Houston Rockets made him the top overall pick in the 2002 draft.
The 30-year-old Yao has missed 250 regular-season games over the past six seasons.
"He is one of the most influential people in today`s society — especially to those born in the `80s," said Ren Bo, a 25-year-old sports trainer. "It`s probably going to be a while until we see another Yao Ming."The news upset fans in China, where he has been praised as a role model for the past decade, and strengthened that image by carrying his country`s flag during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
"It is Yao Ming who makes the kids in China like basketball and it`s also Yao Ming who makes the kids know how a real professional basketball player should be," said Xu Jicheng, a longtime basketball commentator.
"I`m not thrilled about his retirement, but I will still support him. Millions of Chinese still idolize him," said 24-year-old Guo Ju Fei, a small business owner.
Some online comments conveyed sadness that his retirement would mean the end of a great era and that they would not get to see him at the 2012 London Olympics. There also was some anger that his injuries kept him from reaching his peak.
"I still haven`t recovered from the fact that Yao is retiring. The feeling is worse than being dumped," wrote one online user going by the name of Xie Chen.
Others hoped a "miracle" would occur and that Yao would change his mind.
Many comments expressed gratitude to the player for being a Chinese icon and an athlete they could be proud of.Online comments and newspapers also singled out his wit, humor and humility.
"Yao Ming is like an ambassador. With a basketball player`s height, a comedian`s humor, post-80s generation`s freshness ... one does not know how many foreigners` impressions of the Chinese he has changed," wrote a Chinese daily, based in Shenyang city in northeastern Liaoning province.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.