Basketball star Yao Ming

Basketball star Yao Ming announced his retirement after a trailblazing career that made him China's best-known athlete abroad and helped spur the game's global growth.

Yao joined the Rockets as the first pick in the 2002 NBA draft amid scepticism about whether the signature product of China's massive state sports system would ever earn the affection of the league's fans.

The eight-time NBA all-star routinely tops Forbes' list of China's most valuable celebrities and his international appeal has in the past led to endorsement deals with Nike, Pepsi, McDonald's and China Telecom.

NBA commissioner David Stern released a statement in New York shortly after Yao's announcement that praised him as a "transformational" player for the game.

Fellow NBA All Star Kobe Bryant told reporters in Shanghai on the eve of Yao's announcement that the Chinese player had "opened doors for young people in China to believe it's possible to become an NBA player."

"Today I'm retired from basketball and a door has closed.

After helping pro basketball gain a foothold in the world's most populous market, Chinese star Yao Ming has retired.

Yao played eight seasons in the NBA, but missed 250 regular-season games over the past six years.

Houston general manager Daryl Morey attended Yao's farewell conference Wednesday, and NBA Commissioner David Stern sent a message via video link. Yao's wife, Ye Li, and their young daughter, Yao Qinlei, and Yao's parents were in the room. "I will be always with you," Yao said. Despite news of Yao's pending retirement being out for several weeks, the actual announcement was treated with the pomp that Yao's appearances in China bring. China Central Television planned to carry five continuous hours of Yao coverage beginning at 1 p.m. local time, including 90 minutes live from the media conference.

Selected to the NBA All-Star team eight times, Yao averaged 19 points and 9.2 rebounds. After his rookie season, Yao helped the Rockets reach the playoffs in the next two seasons.

Yao played in 77 games in the 2008-09 season, when Houston reach the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 1997.