Yao Ming to announce shock retirement?

Yao created a stir on Monday when rumors have surfaced that his career was over.

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Sad news for Yao fans. Speculation had been rife that the Chinese basketball player is about to announce his retirement from sports, at age 45, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 07/04/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a basketball player isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a basketball player just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouMing

For a little while on Monday evening, #ThankYouMing was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Yao Ming was unlike any other basketball player we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouMing”
— @universalObserver, 6 Apr 2026

“I thought Yao Ming retired about 5 years ago?!?”
— @millythom, 6 Apr 2026

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