Since joining the Houston Rockets as the No. 1 pick in the 2002 draft, Yao Ming has been an international basketball phenomenon and ambassador for basketball throughout Asia, known for his humor and personality off the court as much as his skills on the court.

His influence has extended far beyond the statistics he achieved on court over the nine years. "His contributions to the NBA cannot be overstated. He is such a huge man and on top of that, he is a phenomenal player," Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant recently told reporters.

Yao's rise not only benefited the NBA but also basketball in general. His success paved the way for the NBA to expand its fan base to 1.3 billion people in China. From there, an NBA China branch was established, television deals were reached, and many other products sold.

China is now the largest market for the NBA outside the U.S., drawing on average 30 million viewers per week. Sports Business Journal has estimated that between $150 million and $170 million of the NBA's annual revenues are generated in Yao's native land.

Yao's influence extends beyond basketball. He is so much more than a basketball player. His personal charm, wit, humor and humility have attracted more and more Westerners to learn about Chinese culture, politics and economy.

His talents and endeavors have enabled Yao to become part of mainstream society in the U.S., allowing him to deliver Chinese culture to the U.S. and the rest of the world. He has become a bridge between East and West, a cultural ambassador.

"Yao is a polite, well-educated young person, who is the pride of China, is China's best gift to give the NBA," NBA Commissioner David Stern once said.

Chinese athletes have always earned respect all over the world because of their achievements in sports, but recently young athletes born after 1980 have become international idols with their strong personalities. Yao Ming and the tennis champion Li Na top the list: both have an athlete's body and skills, a comedian's humor, and post-'80s generation's freshness.

Given Yao's popularity and influence, his retirement would no doubt lead to an exodus of China's loyal NBA fans. An online poll on the popular microblogging site Sina Weibo showed that 12 percent of 2,277 respondents would stop watching NBA games after Yao's retirement.

It would be the end of a career, but it is also a new beginning for Yao: He has taken over his former club Shanghai Sharks, opened a new restaurant in Shanghai and has been running a charity foundation for several years.

Yao's departure also highlights another trend in which Chinese basketball is gradually losing its dominance in Asia with the rise of other teams, such as Japan, South Korea and some Western Asia powerhouses.

Says Yao: "I'm 30. As an athlete, I am not the future of China basketball anymore."

The author is a veteran sports journalist covering four Olympic Games. He served as China's Olympic Committee Official Website's correspondent for the 2009 Berlin Athletics World Championship, the 2010 Turkey Basketball World Championship and many other sports events.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.