( CNN ) -- NBA star Yao Ming announced his retirement during a news conference in China on Wednesday . `` I need to make a personal decision , '' Yao said . `` I am ending my basketball career . I am very grateful . I like to thank my family members and my parents . And the Houston Rockets . '' Voted an All-Star player eight times while playing for the Houston Rockets , he was one of the most successful overseas players in the league . Yao has chalked up a career average of 19 points , 9.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks . His field-goal percentage was 52.4 . In recent years , however , he struggled with foot and ankle injuries , and missed the 2009-2010 season . He suffered a stress fracture on his left ankle , and missed last season after playing only five games . Yao has been undergoing treatment and training in recent months , but some doubted he could make a comeback . The 30-year-old said he struggled to learn English when he first came to the United States , and grew a lot during his time in the country . `` Nine years ago , I came to Houston as a tall , skinny player . I grew to a man there . I also had my daughter there . I thank you all , '' Yao said during the packed news conference in Shanghai . Yao 's retirement comes the same year as another NBA giant Shaquille O'Neal . Both seven-footers battled for many years . Kobe Bryant said Yao opened up doors for Chinese players to feel they could play in the NBA . `` All that started with Yao , '' Bryant said . NBA Commissioner David Stern said the player has done his country proud . `` Yao has been without question a transformational player for our league , '' Stern said . `` And a source of enormous pride to the people of China and people of Chinese descent in the United States . ''
NBA star Yao Ming was one of the most successful overseas players in the league . He struggled with foot and ankle injuries . The injury forced him to miss a large portion of his rookie season, but he still managed to average 20 points per game for three straight seasons.