Yao announced his retirement from basketball in a press conference.

On July 20, 2011, Yao Ming announced his retirement from basketball at a press conference in Shanghai. He cited injuries to his foot and ankle, including the third fracture of his left foot sustained near the end of 2010, as the main reason behind his decision.

His retirement sparked more than a million comments on the Chinese social-networking site Sina Weibo. Reacting to Yao's retirement, NBA commissioner David Stern described Yao as a "bridge between Chinese and American fans", adding that he had "a wonderful mixture of talent, dedication, humanitarian aspirations and a sense of humor."