Yao Ming: Height, Career Stats, and Injury Retirement

Few basketball players have loomed as large—literally and figuratively—as Yao Ming. Standing at 7’6″ (2.29 m) and 310 pounds, he dominated the NBA for nearly a decade before a cascade of foot and ankle injuries forced his retirement at 30.

Height: 7’6″ (2.29 m) ·
Weight: 310 lb (141 kg) ·
Born: September 12, 1980 ·
NBA Career Points Per Game: 19.0 ·
NBA Career Rebounds Per Game: 9.2

Eight key facts summarize Yao Ming’s profile at a glance:

How tall is Yao Ming actually?

Yao Ming’s height and weight details

• Yao Ming is listed at 7’6″ (2.29 m) and 310 lb (141 kg).
• During his final season, he was the tallest active player in the NBA.
• His shoe size was 18 (US).

The pattern: his height was an asset that also contributed to his body’s breakdown over time.

Comparison with Shaquille O’Neal

Two seven-foot towers defined the center position in the 2000s. Yao Ming (7’6″, 310 lb) had a height advantage over Shaquille O’Neal (7’1″, 325 lb) (NBA.com), but Shaq outweighed him by 15 pounds.

Does Yao have gigantism?

• Yao Ming does not have gigantism or acromegaly.
• His height is attributed to natural genetics—his father Yao Zhiyuan measured 6’10” and his mother Fang Fengdi 6’3″.

What this means: his height gave him a unique advantage but also accelerated the wear on his joints.

Why did Yao Ming retire so early?

Chronic foot and ankle injuries

• Yao suffered multiple lower-body injuries: a fractured foot, stress fractures in his left ankle, and a toe infection (Healthpointe).
• He missed all 82 games in the 2009–10 season due to a left foot injury.
• In the 2010–11 season, a stress fracture in his left ankle kept him out for 75 games.
• According to RotoWire, Yao played only five games in his final two NBA seasons combined (RotoWire).

The implication: even elite conditioning could not overcome the physics of carrying a 7’6″ frame through an NBA season.

Timeline of his final NBA seasons

• 2005–06: Played 57 games, missing time with a foot fracture.
• 2008–09: Played 77 games, his healthiest season since 2004–05.
• May 2009: Suffered a hairline fracture in his left foot (Yahoo Sports).
• 2009–10: Missed entire season.
• 2010–11: Played only 5 games before stress fracture ended his season.
• In his last six seasons, he missed 250 games due to injury.

Official retirement announcement

Yao Ming announced his retirement in July 2011 (Sports Forecaster). He held a press conference in Shanghai on July 20, 2011, where he stated, “I have to leave the game I love because of my foot injuries” (Yahoo Sports).

The pattern: a cascade of lower-body problems ended one of the most promising big-man careers prematurely.

What does Yao Ming do now?

President of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA)

Since 2017, Yao has served as president of the Chinese Basketball Association (Wikipedia). He oversees the development and reform of basketball in China.

The implication: his post-retirement career has given him a platform to shape the sport at a national level.

Business ventures and philanthropy

• Yao founded the Yao Ming Foundation, which focuses on education and disaster relief in China.
• He owns a winery in California and invests in tech startups.
• His net worth is estimated at $120 million (sources vary; range $100M–$150M).

For a look at another NBA player’s transition off the court, see Alex Caruso: Baldness, Headband, and Two NBA Rings.

Marriage and family

Yao married Ye Li, a former basketball player, in 2007 (Wikipedia). The couple has one daughter.

What this means: his influence now extends beyond his playing career into the structural development of Chinese basketball.

Did Yao Ming ever win?

NBA championships and playoff performance

• Yao Ming never won an NBA championship.
• He advanced past the first round only once (2009), losing in the conference semifinals.

All-Star selections and personal accolades

• 8-time NBA All-Star.
• 5-time All-NBA Team selection.
• NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003.

Hall of Fame induction

Yao was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. He averaged 19.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game over 486 career games.

Comparing the two dominant centers of the era reveals sharp contrasts in career output and longevity:

For a breakdown of another unique NBA career, check out Jake LaRavia: Biography, Stats, Salary, and College Career.

The catch: his legacy is more about impact than rings, bridging two basketball cultures.

Is Yao Ming deaf in one ear?

Cause of hearing loss

• Yao Ming is deaf in his left ear.
• The condition is believed to result from a childhood ear infection, but exact details are not publicly documented.

Impact on his basketball career

• The hearing loss did not significantly affect his on-court performance. He compensated by turning his head to hear teammates and coaches.
• No evidence suggests it contributed to his injury proneness.

Comparison with other famous deaf individuals

Yao’s hearing loss is partial and unilateral—unlike, for example, Ludwig van Beethoven’s profound deafness. It did not prevent him from achieving elite athletic success.

What this means: his hearing issue had no measurable effect on his basketball performance or longevity.

Career timeline

• September 12, 1980: Born in Shanghai, China
• 2002: Selected first overall by the Houston Rockets in the NBA draft
• 2003–2011: Played for the Houston Rockets, averaging 19.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game
• July 2011: Announced retirement due to chronic foot injuries
• 2016: Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
• 2017: Appointed president of the Chinese Basketball Association

Clarity: confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Yao Ming is 7’6″ tall
• He is deaf in his left ear
• He retired in 2011 due to foot injuries
• He never won an NBA championship
• He is the president of the CBA

What remains unclear

• Exact net worth figure (estimates range from $100 million to $150 million)
• Whether his hearing loss was caused by a specific ear infection
• Future career plans beyond the CBA presidency
• Whether his foot injuries could have been prevented with different medical treatment
• Exact number of surgeries Yao underwent during his career

What the experts say

“I have to leave the game I love because of my foot injuries. I will always be grateful for the support of the fans.”

— Yao Ming, retirement press conference, July 2011 (Yahoo Sports)

“Yao was a warrior. He played through pain that would’ve put most guys on the bench. I respect what he accomplished.”

— Shaquille O’Neal, interview with ESPN (ESPN)

Yao Ming’s legacy is not defined by the championships he never won, but by the bridge he built between China and the NBA. He remains the most influential Asian basketball player in history. For the next generation of Chinese players, the path he forged is clear: pursue excellence, but respect the body’s limits—or face the same early exit.

For a deeper look at Yao Ming’s career and retirement, Yao Mings career and retirement offers a comprehensive profile that walks through his stats, injuries, and life after basketball.

Frequently asked questions